Mikael DeSanto
Sports Assignment Editor
The St. Bonaventure University men’s soccer team battled to a 0-0 tie in double overtime Wednesday night against the Duquesne Dukes, ranked number 35 in the country going into the game. The Bonnie generated 10 shots, while Duquesne produced 17.
The two teams played a back and forth game from the first whistle, generating a combined 10 shots in the first half. Through nearly the first twenty minutes of the game they traded takeaways near midfield, playing each other tight on defense and not allowing any offensive space to be created.
Duquesne was able to start putting chances together throughout the first half, due in part to the eight corner kicks they had, though each time sophomore goalkeeper Luke Iacobellis or one of his teammates were able to knock it away or hold back the Duquesne offense until the ball went by.
As the Bonnies put their own chances together, they were able to get shots on net, finishing the first half with six, to Duquesne’s four. The push to score was highlighted by junior forward Kieran Toland, who generated three of the team’s shots: a header in the 33rd minute that was stopped by Duquesne’s redshirt-senior goalkeeper Evan Kozlowski, a shot that missed wide right in the 35th minute and another stopped by Kozlowski in the closing minutes of the half.
In the second half, Duquesne took control of the pace, outshooting the Bonnies 10 to two, yet still not scoring. The Bonnies first shot of the half came in the 61st minute, but it would take them until the 88th minute to get another. But despite both teams having opportunities to put the ball in the goal, Iacobellis and Kozlowski, respectively, were there to stop their opponents at every turn.
In the first 10-minute overtime period, the teams continued to trade possessions without coming close to scoring. Duquesne continued to apply pressure to the Bonnies defense, but the defenders stayed strong and did not allow a goal.
In the second overtime, the Bonnies made a push to end the game, with freshman forward Jacob Dyck coming into the game in an attempt to light a fire under the offense. But the game would ultimately end with Iacobellis making a save, with time running out 45 seconds later to end the game.
The Bonnies next game is an away game on Oct. 8 against Davidson at 3 p.m.
desantmj13@bonaventure.edu
