The Blue Raiders and their North Texas guests reached a stalemate on Friday night after the double-overtime match at the Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.
The two teams battled back and forth for much of the game and eventually settled for a tie.
North Texas led the league coming into the match on Friday with an 11-4-2 record, (7-0-2 Sun Belt).
“We played a very good North Texas team,” head coach Aston Rhoden said. “I think we played a very solid first half and had our opportunities.
They played a very good second half and had their opportunities. We have to regroup and be sure to put two solid halves together.”
The Blue Raiders took the lead in the first half, keeping much of the momentum through the first 45.
Senior forward Jen Threlkeld took a shot a 10:21, but that kick swung wide right of the goal. The team would continue the effort throughout the first period, with attempts by Thelkeld, freshman midfielder Whitney Jorgenson and sophomore forward Shan Jones.
Jorgenson’s cross, from the left side, was the best hope of the period for scoring. The ball was deflected off the back heel of a NT defender but was then saved by the Mean Green’s goalie Mandy Hall to prevent the score with 27 minutes remaining in the half.
The second period showed a refreshed North Texas team. The Mean Green would attempt their first score at 51:45, with Julie Lackey taking a high shot that sailed over the nets.
The attack would continue at 58:11, with a shot from NT’s Ellen Scarfone. MT goalie Rebecca Cushing was the only save for the Blue Raiders.
The main battle in the later period continued to be between the North Texas offense and the MT defensive efforts. The Mean Green’s best chance came with 5:30 left in regulation, as Kelli Lunsford sent a corner flyer to the box, which found the head of teammate Kelsey Perlman.
Perlman redirected the ball to the far right post, but Blue Raider Elisabeth Sikes was able to stray the ball away and keep the game tied at nil.
Both teams’ goalkeeps played excellent games, and the scoreless match was forced into overtime.
The first of two ten-minute overtime periods saw both teams attempt a score twice, but neither succeeded. At the start of the second, both teams began to show fatigue and could not come up with the score.
A trio of fouls–two on MT, one for the Mean Green–hailed the end of the second overtime and caused the tie.
The Blue Raiders will hosted their final home match of the 2009 season on Sunday against Denver. The Pioneers have won five of their last six games, against conference teams like Troy and South Alabama. Their most recent contest, a 2-0 win over Western Kentucky, saw goalkeep Lara Campbell save five would-be scores, and four players attempt to score, with two succeeding.
The match at the Dean Hayes Soccer and Track Stadium will be the last road match for the Pioneers before returning home to host North Texas.
Defensive standout causes tie
MT soccer keeps match scoreless against Mean Green
Published: Sunday, October 25, 2009
Updated: Monday, October 26, 2009
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