Oct. 15, 2000

VILLANOVA, Pa. - A goal by Dustin Sheppard in the 88th minute helped Rutgers gain a 2-2 tie with Villanova in a Big East Conference match played Sunday afternoon at the Villanova Soccer Complex.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the game's ninth minute. Freshman Dan Massimini (Downington, Pa.) took a feed from senior back Jim Curtin (Oreland, Pa.) and blasted a shot into the net behind Scarlet Knight goalkeeper Ricky Zinter at the 9:33 mark of the first half.

Rutgers tied the contest on a Mike Walsh header that was ruled to have crossed the goal line before Villanova's Joe Caruolo blasted it out of harm's way. Sophomore midfielder Guy Abrahamson was credited with an assist on the play at the 28:20 mark.

The contest remained knotted into the final minutes of the second half. Then Villanova sophomore Steven Leaman took a corner kick from freshman Bobby Cordier and headed it past Zinter at the 87:42 mark. But the celebration was short-circuited one minute and three seconds later when Sheppard took feeds from Christopher Stewart and Abrhamson to beat Wildcat goalkeeper John Williams.

Each team was playing short in the overtime sessions. Rutgers was without Dennis Ludwig and Todd Moser while Villanova was without All-Big East performer Jim Curtin. All earned red cards late in the second half.

Each team had chances in the overtime. Massimini blasted a shot from atop the box that sailed just high in the first extra session while Rutgers B Mike Reid made a length of the field run in the second overtime that generated an excellent scoring opportunity. But the affair ended tied at two.