Baltimore, MD — Nearly two full hours of soccer wasn't enough to decide much of anything between second-ranked Messiah College and 15th-rated Johns Hopkins University Wednesday night, as the teams stalemated to a 0-0 double-overtime tie at JHU's Homewood Field.
It was the first regular-season scoreless affair for Messiah (4-0-1) since a 0-1 loss to Elizabethtown College on Nov. 4, 2006, while Johns Hopkins (4-0-1) kept a season-long shutout going in its first tie of the year.
After his team averaged 6.25 goals per game in its first four contests of the year, Messiah head coach Scott Frey said he knew tonight's match would be a test. After watching his club battle to a scoreless draw after 110 minutes of soccer in its first road game of the year, his tone did not seem to change.
“This was good for us,” Frey said. “We really haven't been pressed yet, and Hopkins did some things to us that got us a little frazzled, got us a little rushed. I think we learned some things from this, and better realized what we've got to continue to work on. We can't be complacent.”
The host Blue Jays used a packed defensive scheme in its efforts to keep Messiah off the scoreboard, utilizing the hope of a counter-attack when provided an opportunity. The Falcons eventually collected a 14-9 advantage in total shots and a 7-2 discrepancy in corner kicks on the evening, but could not break through to find the golden goal.
“It was a very high-paced game, and Hopkins had some good ideas,” Frey said. “They dropped people off behind the ball and made it tough to get anything out in front.”
Still, Frey's team controlled much of the possession game and had the best scoring chances between the clubs. A combination of senior Kacie Klynstra and junior Amanda Naeher may have provided the Falcons' best scoring opportunity in regulation, when Klynstra took a second-half corner kick and settled the ball on the endline. A nifty drop to Naeher resulted in a would-be score from just outside the goal mouth, but Naeher's shot was wide by mere inches.
The largest gasp from the crowd of 300 spectators did not come until less than a minute remained in the second overtime, however, as sophomore Joanna Haqq one-touched a deflected ball from just six yards out, only to send the ball screaming over the cross bar by — again — mere inches.
Messiah senior keeper Brindley Beckwith was credited for two saves on the other end of the field, while the Falcons were whistled for 19 fouls compared to just 11 from JHU. Junior Amy Horst and Naeher were credited with the majority of Messiah's shots on the night, with Horst firing off four and Naeher three.
“You never know when you're going to score or not score goals, so it's always good to put zeroes up on the board,” Frey said of his team's defensive effort. “I thought our back row played really well tonight, especially freshman Kelsey Gorman. Kacie Klynstra was also really good for us in the midfield.
“This is a good one to learn from,” he continued. “Things have been a little easy (for us). We need to get better.”
The Falcons will return to Shoemaker Field next, as the club will host the University of Mary Washington Saturday at 1 p.m. That marks the beginning of another home stand, spanning the team's next three contests.
