Traveling to Pocatello for the first of a two-match Idaho road trip, the SUU soccer team kept a clean sheet in a draw against Idaho State on Thursday night.
While the match ended scoreless, there were multiple chances for both sides to score throughout the game.
It took just under two minutes for the T-birds to record their first shot attempt of the match, and Idaho State recorded its first attempt at goal at just over three minutes in.
Both teams continued to battle and take chances, and SUU nearly broke the deadlock in the 18th minute. Whitney Gardner beat the Idaho State goalkeeper, but the ball just rolled off the right post away from the goal.
The Bengals then took a few chances at getting on the scoreboard and nearly did so just over 10 minutes after SUU. ISU appeared to have a goal in the 29th minute, but it was correctly called back for offsides, and the game remained scoreless.
Each side had one more shot attempt in the remaining 15 or so minutes of the half, but the score stayed the same heading to the halftime break.
Second half
The second half began much like the first, and it didn’t take long to see a scoring chance early.
Southern Utah once again nearly notched a goal in the 49th minute, with Sarah Assumma just missing at the near post. Idaho State responded with an attempt on goal just 32 seconds later, but the shot was saved by Darya Mosallaei.
The attempts on goal continued for both teams, with near misses coming for either side coming around the hour mark. The Bengals took their turn hitting the post in the 57th minute and followed up three minutes later with a missed chance at an open net.
SUU had another chance in the 64th minute, but the attempt from Angie Knies was batted away by the keeper at the near post.
It was clear as the match wore on that the T-birds were in control, as another miss just sailed right in the 75th minute. SUU controlled much of the ball and created more chances in the final 10 minutes – including multiple free and corner kicks – but were unable to find a goal.
In the end, the final whistle blew, and the match concluded 0-0.
“Great competitive match today. (We’ll) take the tie and the shutout on the road,” Southern Utah head coach Kai Edwards said of the game.
“It’s our second shutout in three games, and how this game ended 0-0 is actually amazing. Very proud of the way the team competed together today,” he added.
The match was a solid road result for the T-birds, as they recorded the first point against their former Big Sky Conference foes since 2016.
Up next
The T-birds (1-4-2) travel north to face the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference to close out the week.
SUU and Boise State will face off on Sunday, September 15 at 12 p.m. MT and the match can be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
Photo credit @margauxxpics
