MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner opened the SSAC season in a thriller, drawing No. 1 Dalton State Thursday night with a 87th minute penalty from Nicolas Tamayo as the Eagles shot 10 times in the last 15 minutes to come back against a team that hasn't lost in 31 matches now.

After a highly competitive first half, Dalton State found a match changing goal with a 52nd minute corner when Luis Carrasco followed his own header up for the Roadrunners' lead. 

Head coach Gabriel de Queiroz pushed for the goal and put Dalton State on the defensive foot for the last half hour of the match when the Eagles started ramping the pressure up, especially over the final 15. 

Faulkner missed a couple of close chances and it seemed like it may just not be the Eagles' night, but in the 87th minute, Matheus Magnusson dribbled into the box and was cut down and the referee pointed to the spot. 

Tamayo stepped up and hopstepped and made the keeper commit early before rolling it the other way for the third decision-changing goal in the 85th minute or later in three straight matches. 

"I was calm because I knew I was going to score," the Colombian centerback stated about scoring his second goal of the season.

Faulkner kept the pressure on with five more corners and forced two more saves from Dalton's Nestor Mendez to secure the 1-1 result.

Faulkner has now drawn No. 1 Dalton State two years in a row after they were No. 2 during last season's contest.

"I'm just very proud of these guys and what they accomplished against the number one team in the country," Coach Gabi said. "The point that we proved tonight is that we can compete against any team no matter what and we can believe more in ourselves."

"Thank you to the people who came, to my teammates and thank you to the coaches for tonight," Tamayo said. 

The Eagles welcome No. 19 Life (5-0-2) Saturday at 7:30. Read Full Article