Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney women's soccer team battled the Rogers State Hillcats to a 0-0 draw Friday night at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.
The Lopers (0-10-3) pick up a point in the MIAA standings with the Hillcats, from Claremore, Okla., now 4-4-5 (1-2-3) on the fall.
UNK came out with its hair on fire, getting a shot on goal from senior Cammie Davis (Wichita) less than two minutes into the action and controlling things for the majority of the half. The Lopers had both of its corners in the early going and three of its seven shots. However, keepers Mackenzie Smith (Lincoln) and CambreeTowle didn't let anything get by them.
"The first half was an indication of what we can do and what we should be able to do all of the time. There was some brilliant moments … the defense was locking them in. They couldn't get out of their half of the field for the majority of the half," said Loper head coach Rob Breton. "The passing, the movement, the pressure, the commitment … we attacked. We also setup some traps that worked really well when we did it together."
On the coldest night of the year for either team, RSU had the advantage in the early stages of the second half. They had three corners in the first seven minutes as well as getting a shot off that thankfully sailed wide left.
"The only problem in the first half is that we didn't capitalize on a couple of moments," said Breton. "I didn't get the girls out soon enough (to start the second half.). They were very stiff and tight … this was our first cold game of the year. It was 30, 40 degree difference from when we last played on Sunday."
UNK settled down, warmed up and went on the attack over the final 20 minutes. A free kick by Lincoln junior JacylanDoering in the 85th minute almost broke the ice as Towle couldn't corral the ball and it hovered between 'Cat defenders and the Lopers. RSU, however, eventually cleared it out and the game remained tied.
The Loper defense helped stopped a one-on-one situation from Vanessa Gonzalez with Smith leaping high to save a shot taken by English sophomore Libby Doyle in final minute. That led to one of RSU's seven corners in the half but it resulted in nothing.
"The (defensive stop on Gonzalez) is a great example of where we are going as a unit and what we're capable of doing. They are committed to the concepts that we're teaching," said Breton. "Mackenzie did her job tonight. She can play this way for 90 minutes. Sometimes we get glimpses of it in 20, 30, 50, 60 minutes but tonight it was 90-minute thing. Last minute of the game and she makes a brilliant save over top. Last 10 seconds, they drop a ball right in front of her and she's smart enough to collapse on top of the ball and hold it."
Smith and Towle both had five saves with UNK getting three shots on goal from Davis, one from Doering and one from New Jersey sophomore Angelina Iocca. Doyle (four) and Gonzalez (two) combined for six of the 'Cats nine shots.
The Lopers host Northeastern State Sunday at noon. The RiverHawks (4-2-7, 1-2-3) battled Fort Hays State to a 0-0 draw tonight in Kansas.
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