ITHACA, N.Y. ­– Thanks to a key save from junior goalkeeper Mitchell Meyer in extra time, the men's soccer team was able to preserve a 2-2 tie with Central Connecticut State (0-1-1) in its season opener Friday night at Berman Field.

Just moments into the first overtime, Meyer found himself facing CCSU's Ryan Taylor coming into the box all alone, but he was able to cut down the angle and make an outstretched save to his right and parry the ball away. It was one of four saves on the night for Meyer.

The first big scoring chance of the game belonged to Cornell, as 10 minutes into the first half the Big Red had a chance to go up when it earned a penalty kick — but the ball dinged off the post to keep the game scoreless.

But it was just 20 minutes later when freshman Brady Dickens found himself the beneficiary of a mishandled ball near the top of the box. CCSU's Nick Velleca came out to grab the ball but was unable to corral it and it fell to Dickens, who calmly sent it past the keeper for his first career goal and a 1-0 lead.

Sophomore Ryan Watters gave Cornell a 2-0 lead in the 59th minute when junior Tommy Griffin fed him a beautiful through ball down the right flank. Watters was able to eat up the field space in front of him and enter the 18-yard box before rifling a shot past the goalkeeper. Watters finished the night with two shots on goal.

The Blue Devils — who outshot Cornell, 13-10 — were able to crawl their way back in the second half with two goals of their own. The first came off of a throw-in, with Alexander Hastings launching the ball into the box that Halvard Ramstad was able to poke through the defense and over Meyer to pull the Blue Devils to within one. Just 10 minutes later, Andres Muriel found a ball near the 18-yard box that he fired past the defenders to tie the score, 2-2.

The Big Red (0-0-1) next heads to Connecticut at 7 p.m. Monday for a matchup with the Huskies.