Another sub-par offensive performance, another tie.

For the Penn State men's soccer team, that's beginning to become routine.

The Nittany Lions trailed late in the second half of yesterday's game against Villanova, but Anthony Calvano came through with a goal in the last three minutes to even the game, 1-1, as Penn State collected its seventh tie of the season.

"We're creating chances and we're creating opportunities," Penn State coach Barry Gorman said. "But we have to be more of an offensive threat earlier in the game.

"We're sort of allowing these teams to pack it back in."

The Wildcats surrendered more than one goal on only five occasions this season, but the tie is still a bit frustrating for a group that Gorman heralded earlier in the season as having "the potential to be the most exciting offensive-attacking team we've ever had before."

That statement was made in late September after starting 3-0-3 and scoring a dozen goals in that stretch.

A lot has changed since then.

In the last six games, Penn State has gone 3-1-2 and has only managed to record seven goals -- five of which came against the likes of Cornell and Bucknell.

In the Lions' defense, however, Villanova has been fairly solid in the Big East. It tied No. 11 St. John's, 1-1, and even grabbed a 2-1 upset against No. 8 Boston College.

But that still doesn't excuse Penn State's inability to score, according to Gorman.

"There's a lot of reasons you can give," he said. "Other teams are packing it in or double-teaming against other players, but you still have to rise above that.

"I don't offer those as excuses, I offer those as reality."

Gorman pointed to missed scoring opportunities and good Villanova goalkeeping as the deciding factors of the game.

"The number of point-blank saves that were made today are higher than what you normally see," Gorman said. "Alternatively, the offense has to score goals because it takes pressure off of you."

With 22 minutes remaining in the game, Villanova's Patrick Gallagher headed a corner kick to take the lead -- despite playing a man down after Jon Wells received his second yellow card.

Luckily for Penn State, Anthony Calvano responded with a 25-yard rocket in the closing minutes of regulation to prevent the loss.

Overall this season, the Lions have competed in 11 overtime games -- which is thought to be a new NCAA record.

Freshman goalkeeper Conrad Taylor's streak of four consecutive shutouts also came to an end.

His scoreless streak ended at 459 minutes, 51 seconds.

Penn State remains undefeated in non-conference play with an 8-0-5 record and will wrap up its regular season Sunday on the road against Lehigh.