HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Carey claimed a share of the spoils, as they battled back to a 1-1 draw after having a man sent off.
 
The game began at a frantic pace, and it was a sign of things to come. Both teams left everything on the field, as they fought and clawed in a scrappy affair that ended with 35 fouls, 7 yellows, and 1 red card between the two teams.
 
LSUS had the brighter opening to the game, but it would be Carey that had the first real chance of the game. Six minutes into the game, Daniel Mulero whipped a corner just past the first post that found the head of Lewis Green. Green flicked the ball on but could only rattle the crossbar as the Crusaders went close.
 
Shreveport had their closest chance in the 22^nd minute. Aksel Battal was released down the right-hand side. Battal drove into the box and pulled the ball back for Joel Trueb who skyed his shot over.
 
LSUS made the most of their bright start as they opened the scoring in the 24^th minute. A misplaced Carey pass found the feet of Jack Thomas. Thomas jinked past two Carey defenders before slipping in Jaime Zani. Zani took a touch and rifled his shot across goal into the far corner.
 
The first half went from bad to worse for the Crusaders as they went down to 10-men. Zani was through on goal as Niall Lovelock dragged him down. The referee deemed Lovelock to be the last man and sent Lovelock off for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
 
A goal down and a man down going into the second half and WCU came out all guns blazing. With nothing to lose and all to play for, the Crusaders took the game to the Pilots and often dominated much of the second half.
 
Carey's first chance was a long free kick into the box that caused chaos. The ball dropped at the feet of six players, with neither able to either score or clear the ball. Goalkeeper Sondre Liahagen-Kolnes gratefully picked up the loose ball. Carey players appealed for a handball from one of the LSUS defenders, but those concerns fell on deaf ears.
 
As the game bore on, tempers flared as LSUS went in search of a game clinching goal and WCU looked for an equalizer. Both teams weren't scared to foul each other, stopping and starting the game, not allowing either team to build any momentum.
 
LSUS nearly put the game to bed in the 75^th minute if not for Teddy Miranda and Alex Molto. The ball fell to the feet of LSUS's Fernando Beraldes inside the Carey penalty area as he managed to turn his shot goalwards. Miranda made the block to take the sting out the shot as Molto attempted to save it. Mirandas deflection still turned the shot goalward, but Molto's quick reflexes allowed him to reach out an arm and claw the ball out for a corner.
 
Carey made sure the Pilots rued their missed chances, as they equalized two minutes later in the 77^th minute. Mulero picked the ball up twenty yards out and unleashed a shot into the bottom left corner. Liahagen-Kolnes made a diving save to tip the ball onto the post to deny Mulero. The ball rebounded into the middle of the six-yard box, begging for Santiago Molina to tap home the equalizer.
 
The final moments of the game saw both teams going for a winner. Neither team left anything on the field but just couldn't find the decisive winning goal.
 
The Crusaders are back in action this Friday, August 29^th as they host Jarvis Christian at Danny Owens Field. That game is scheduled for 6 PM.