FAU Plays Western Kentucky to Scoreless Tie

Friday, September 26

Boca Raton, Fla,

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

1-5-1 (0-0-1SBC)

WKU

6-0-2 (0-0-1SBC)

OT 1

OT 2

Western Kentucky

Florida Atlantic

9/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Sept. 26, 2008

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University played the reigning Sun Belt Conference regular season champions to a scoreless tie Friday night at FAU Field. Florida Atlantic (1-5-1) fired off more shots than any other match this season, with four different Owls totaling two shots or more.

"I told the girls not to be satisfied, these are games we need to win," said FAU head coach Brian Dooley. "The chances are there and our offense had more danger than we had last week and that is really encouraging."

Western Kentucky (6-0-2) entered Friday night's conference-opener unbeaten. The Hilltoppers went 9-2-2 against SBC competition last season.

"We have not seen that kind of pressure all year," said WKU head coach Jason Neidell about the FAU attack Friday night. "I feel like we got a good result."

FAU had a series of offensive opportunities result in near-misses during the first half, including a blast from the top of the penalty box by freshman starter Gabriela DeVries that hit the cross bar. The Owls earned five corner kicks in the opening period and ended up out-shooting the Hilltoppers 14-5.

FAU's all-conference midfielder Jannica Tjeder tallied a season-high three shots and senior forward Ashley Mannarino had four. Off a corner kick in the first half, Tjeder put a header on goal only to see it blocked by a WKU defender guarding the left post.

Both defenses were impressive in the first overtime session. Neither team was able to register a shot attempt until FAU forward Laura Hyvonen forced WKU keeper Libby Stout to make a save in the first overtime's closing moments.

WKU got its first scoring chance in either extra session when Amanda Buechel sailed a shot wide with four minutes remaining in overtime number two. Buechel had two of WKU's five shots. Stout saved all five attempts that FAU put on goal.