PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's soccer team came back from one-goal deficits twice in the match but never broke through to lead in finishing in a 2-2 tie with Marian University Wednesday night at a rainy Taylor Field.

The Muskies picked up a point in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings but left themselves now little margin for error in their final two conference matches in the chase for a spot in the NACC Tournament. At 3-6-1 for 10 points in conference (4-9-2 overall), Lakeland is tied for 10th in the standings, three points behind Benedictine University, Edgewood College and Rockford University who currently hold the final three spots for the eight-team tournament.

Besides the steady rain that fell for the entire game, the Muskies also spent much of the night dodging bullets from the Sabres (3-8-3 overall, 1-7-3 NACC), who posted a nearly two-to-one advantage in shot attempts (20-11) and had a number of golden opportunities. Goalkeeper Zach Heiman (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) made seven saves, several of the diving variety, and also had to weather a number of threats on corner kicks.

Marian held the upper hand especially for a good share of the first half, and broke through in the 31st minute. Giuliano Corazzina won a throw-in between three Muskie defenders, then took the ball down to the end line before passing to Drew Cowden, who ran on for a tap-in goal from eight yards out.

Lakeland came back to tie before halftime, though. A long pass ahead by Joseph Reyes (Sr.-Pico River, Calif.) was headed to open space by a Sabres defender, but ended up going right to T.J. Sanusi (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.). The reserve forward quickly turned and looped a shot from 25 yards out that went over goalkeeper Gijs Koopmans and dropped just inside the crossbar for his second goal of the season and tying the game at 1-1.

Marian retook the lead 8 1/2 minutes into the second half, with Cowden scoring his second of the game, scoring through traffic inside the right post. The Muskies came back to score just over two minutes later, though, as a free kick by Michael Barragan (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) was saved by Koopmans but caromed to Brahm Dell Adema (So.-Plano, Texas) left of the goal. Dell Adema attempt to center to Alessandro Bianchi (Sr.-Venice, Italy), who deflected to Reyes running on to tap it in for his first goal of the season and to tie the score again.

Both teams rushed frantically in the final minutes, but were largely kept at just enough of a distance to prevent serious threats save for the 80th minute. That's when Cowden attempted a shot from 15 yards out that slipped through Heiman but was cleared away by Reyes before getting to the line.

Barragan, Sanusi and Michecadet Gethand (Sr.-Jackson, Wis.) led Lakeland with two shot attempts each. Koopmans made six saves in goal for Marian.

The Muskies are home again Saturday when they host Rockford University at 3:30 p.m. at Taylor Field.