Worcester, Mass. – Alex Wolfel (Unionville, Conn.) scored an improbable goal in the 88th minute to force overtime and host Worcester State and Clark University settled for a 1-1 tie in the opening game of the Worcester City Tournament on Friday afternoon.

The result is a dramatic change for the two teams from a season ago when the Cougars scored a season-high six goals in posting a five-goal win over the Lancers in the second game of the Worcester City Tournament.

Today's matchup was extremely physical, with the teams combining to commit 41 fouls, including four yellow cards and one red card ejection.

Clark actually jumped on the board first in the 21st minute when junior Oscar Zapata (Lima, Peru) notched his first of the year with help from both Kenneth Vera (Franklin Square, N.Y.) and (Tiverton, R.I.).

Worcester State actually had a pair of chances to score in each half but neither time could they capitalize. Eugene Duah (Worcester, Mass.) fired a shot that banged off the crossbar at 6:59 and then in the 58th minute Alex Goncalves (Ludlow, Mass.) smacked the post with one of his attempts.

The Lancers finally broke through at 87:37 when Rob Cicero (Springfield, Mass.) sent a pass up the right side that Wolfel blasted into the left corner, knotting the game at 1-1.

Clark controlled the first overtime, outshooting Worcester State 5-0 but couldn't get anything past Nick Zucco (Ludlow, Mass.).

The Lancers responded, taking the first three shots of the second extra session, but neither team could get the eventual game winner.

Zucco made nine saves for Worcester State, while the combination of Alfonso Alvarez (San Salvador, El Salvador) and Robert Bischof (Tarrytown, N.Y.) stopped three shots.

Clark will take on Becker College at WPI on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and the Lancers face WPI in the twinbill opener at 12:00 p.m.