The No. 1 state-ranked Taft College men's soccer team had to overcome playing down a man for a majority of its non-conference game against visiting Oxnard College on Tuesday and escaped with 1-1 tie.
TC remains unbeaten at 5-0-2 and is the top-ranked team in the most recent California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) Men's Soccer State Poll.
The Cougars' bench received a red card in the ninth minute and was forced to compete with 10 players on the field for the rest of the contest. Despite being down a player, Taft went ahead with a short-handed goal in the 15th minute by Ebubechukwu Ekpemogu off the assist from Osvaldo Navarro.
The Cougars held that lead all the way into second half. In the 70th minute, Oxnard was awarded a penalty kick after a foul inside the box. Angel Herrera converted the PK for the Condors' equalizer.
Myron Gregory had one save in goal for Taft.
The Cougars return to action on Friday (Sep. 17) when they host College of the Desert in a 4 p.m. non-conference game.