DES MOINES, Iowa - Men's soccer rallied late with a goal from senior forward Maxim Sheenkov to leave Drake with a 1-1 draw to start the season.

Central Arkansas (0-0-1) faced an early deficit after Drake forward Evan Carlson scored in the fourth minute. The Bears settled in defensively after the early goal, and the match became an almost even battle for possession for the remainder of the first half. Senior goalkeeper Merrick Cook made three saves in the match to help keep the Bears within striking distance.

Central Arkansas came out more aggressively in the second half as it looked to even the score. Vaclav Kozensky had a shot go just wide right in the 47th minute, while Jaxon Hinds and Kyle Schwartz recorded shots in the 64th and 68th minutes, respectively. The Bears continued to push forward before senior forward Maxim Sheenkov found the equalizer late in the match.

 With it being the first game of the season, both teams battled through a physical match as they fought for every opportunity. Kaisei Matsudo put together a strong defensive performance, playing all but two minutes while helping relieve pressure and move the Bears forward with long balls up field. Senior Joseph Mwamba played all 90 minutes and broke up several of Drake's opportunities once the Bulldogs entered the attacking third.

Central Arkansas will be on the road for its next game Monday as the Bears travel to Orem, Utah, to take on Utah Valley, which won its home opener against Pacific, 2-1.