| 9/13/2002 9:15:59 PM

Canton, N.Y. — John Loftus scored with 3:38 remaining in the second overtime period to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team to a 2-1 win over Rochester Institute of Technology in a non-league game on Sandy MacAllaster Field on Friday afternoon.

Loftus, a sophomore from Albany, N.Y., was playing in just his ninth career game for the Saints when he found himself about two feet away from a wide open net with the ball at his feet for his first career goal. Ryan O’Dowd, who fought through two RIT defenders on the right side of the field, fed Loftus for his second assist of the game.

. For the second straight game, the Saints had to battle back from a 1-0 deficit when Trae Lower (Gettysburg, Pa.) scored on a rebound less than 15 minutes into the game. Jon-Michael Olmstead tied the game for the Saints less than seven minutes later when he recovered a ball in the penalty area and lofted the ball over RIT goalkeeper Brian Lenzo (Greece, N.Y.) who was trying to get to the loose ball.

After an even, 1-1 first half, the Saints dominated for the remainder of the game, outshooting the Tigers 15-3 in the second half and overtime periods.

St. Lawrence’s Evan Schutt had an opportunity to end the game in the first overtime period, but his penalty kick went about six inches too high and sailed off the crossbar.

The Saints improve to 1-0-1 on the season, while R.I.T. drops to 1-2-1. The Tigers close out their trip to the North County on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Clarkson with kick-off at 2 p.m.