PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Lakeland University men's soccer freshman Cole Cederwall (Milwaukee, Wis.) scored his first collegiate goal but Ripon College battled back and salvaged a 1-1 tie Saturday afternoon in the Muskies' season opener at Taylor Field.

The Muskies and Red Hawks played yet another typically close match, with the teams' last four meetings all decided by one goal or less and the series between the teams tied at 9-9-2 all-time. The teams tied for the first time since 2014, this time without overtime due to the NCAA rule change eliminating overtime for regular season matches still tied after 90 minutes.

Cederwall got the Muskies on the board just over five minutes into their season. Kidus Samson (Jr.-San Francisco, Calif.) sent a long diagonal pass left to right to the right corner of the penalty area. Cederwall received the pass, shook a defender and dribbled into the middle before getting off a shot that beat Ripon goalkeeper Kalan Narance just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead.

Lakeland carried play in the early going but Ripon began to threaten as the first half went on. The Red Hawks registered five shots in the final ten minutes and Muskies keeper Carson Galla (Jr.-Deerfield, Wis.) had to make three saves, two coming in the final ten seconds of the half. Arthur Soltys hit a direct free kick that Galla deflected, and the Redhawks' Tim Geocaris had a chance at the rebound on the left side from point blank range but Galla also stopped it just before the end of the half.

Ripon (0-1-1 overall) evened the score less than eight minutes into the second half. Narance's punt from goal bounced just past midfield and over an oncoming Lakeland defender to Andrew Robertson, who carried the ball down the left side and then to the middle. Robertson then chipped a pass ahead to a crossing Finley Manning, who took one touch and then beat second-half goalkeeper Ben Taylor (So.-Sheboygan, Wis.) to tie the score.

The Muskies' opportunities largely dried up in the second half. Freshman Jordan Davis-Troller (Cottage Grove, Wis.) had the best chance with just over 20 minutes left but his shot went wide right. Ripon did finish the game playing a man down after Trent Kazlauskas had to leave after receiving his second yellow card in the 86th minute, but the Muskies were not able to generate another shot attempt.

Samson led Lakeland with three shot attempts while Robertson paced Ripon with three shots as the Red Hawks outshot the Muskies 12-7, including a 7-1 lead in shots on goal. Galla made four saves in the first half and Taylor added two saves in the second half.

Lakeland is in action again Sunday when it travels to face Finlandia University in the Keweenaw Peninsula of the U.P. of Michigan. Game time in Hancock, Mich., is set for noon.