NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 3, LaGrange 3
Records: Piedmont, 5-5-1 (1-2-1 CCS); LaGrange, 3-3-6 (0-1-2 CCS)

LaGrange, Ga. - The Lions came away with a draw against CCS rival LaGrange in Wednesday night's contest.

Piedmont built a sizeable lead through the first half and added on in the second, but it was not enough to quell the Panther attack.  

The Lions utilized their speed to their advantage early, as in the seventh minute Juliann Pimentel raced down the wing and into the box to deliver a swift pass to Mason Keith, who was able to put enough power on the shot to find the back of the net despite a keeper deflection. This would be Keith's third goal of the season as the sophomore continues a solid campaign.

The first half would continue to be kind to the Lions, as they weren't done scoring yet. In the 21st minute, Delroy Mattis sat back in the Lions' own box before booming a kick coast-to-coast, finding Collin Vogel in the Panthers' box. The senior would take the opportunity and place a shot through, scoring his first goal of the game.

The Lions would enter halftime with the lead, showcasing their impressive speed and power potential, and looked to carry that over into the second half.

The plan looked good for the Lions starting off the half, as in the 50th minute Mason Keith would be pushed nearly to the corner by a Panther defender, but Keith was able to turn and set a beautiful cross to Colin Vogel, who leapt through the air, heading the ball towards the back for a picturesque goal and his second of the day.

The Lions had done an impressive job keeping the rival Panthers quiet, but they would answer back within the following minutes. LaGrange would try a header of their own, and it would sneak just inside of the right goalpost for their first goal of the day, cutting down the Lions' lead.

The Panthers would once again find success off a set piece, this time in the 66th minute, as a corner kick was lofted into the box, setting up for another LaGrange header that hit the turf hard and found the top left corner for their second score of the evening as they looked to reclaim their home field advantage. 

Piedmont looked to hold off the Panther attack as they would enter the final five minutes still clinging to a one-score lead, but a costly foul in the box would set the Panthers up for a game-tying PK, moving the score to 3-3. With just minutes left, the Lions looked to find a way to reclaim control of the game.

The Lions pressured the Panthers in their own territory for the remainder of the match, but LaGrange's defense proved too much as Piedmont couldn't find a way to bring home a win. 

The Lions battled hard and looked to be on path to cruise to a victory, but a rival that has had their number in the past forced a tight draw and denied victory to the green and gold. 

Piedmont will travel to Berry College on Monday, Oct. the 13th to face off with the Vikings at 6:00 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- Colin Vogel's second-half goal would give the Lions an important third goal.
- A costly foul in the box set up a LaGrange PK with 5 minutes on the clock.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Collin Vogel had two goals in the contest

NEWS AND NOTES:
- First draw between the two teams since 2004

HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on X @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook.