Stokes' 87th-minute header Thursday night at WakeMed Soccer Park salvaged a 2-2 draw against the Seattle Sounders, bringing to a close an exhausting 13-day stretch that saw the RailHawks play six games.

"Amazing resiliency to come back," Carolina coach Scott Schweitzer said. "We played unbelievable soccer, then we lost our way for about 20 minutes in the first half, where they tied it back up. A mistake by us [to allow Seattle to go up 2-1] and then phenomenal to finish."

On an 87th-minute corner kick, Carolina's Steve Curfman sent an out-swinging ball into the penalty area. Stokes, a 6-foot-4 defender, crashed the goal and knocked the ball past Sounders keeper Chris Eylander.

"I was just in the right place at the right time, and it went in," Stokes said. "I've been working on finishing in practice. I didn't do much last year."

The goal came five minutes after the RailHawks (4-4-6) were upset by a no-call on a handball in the penalty box and three minutes before they botched the potential game-winner.

In the 82nd minute, Seattle defender Zach Scott knocked down a Martin Nunez shot with his right hand, just in front of the Sounders goal, but no call was made. Schweitzer raced down the sideline toward the linesman, but his protest was fruitless.

That would have been a footnote had Connally Edozien converted his chance from 3 yards out in the 90th minute on the rebound of a shot by Ryan Solle, but Edozien missed the goal entirely.

Carolina went up 1-0 in the 12th minute on Jacob Coggins' first goal of the season. Seattle (4-2-8) equalized in the 45th minute when Sebastien Le Toux scored on his own rebound.

The Sounders took the lead in the 69th minute on a header by Kenji Treschuk.

In the preliminary game, the Carolina RailHawks Women lost the first game of the RailHawks Independence Day doubleheader to the second-place Charlotte 3-0.

Former UNC midfielder Tina Murphy tallied two goals and one assist for the Lady Eagles.

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