Box Score
CHICAGO, Ill. – Villanova and DePaul played to a 0-0 draw on a warm afternoon here at Wish Field at Cacciatore Stadium. The Wildcats dominated play in the second half with a 16-3 edge in shots in the period and appeared on the verge of notching the decisive goal but it was not to be.
Villanova posted its fifth shutout in seven outings in 2019. The Wildcats are now 4-2-1 overall, 0-0-1 BIG EAST while DePaul is now 3-3-1 overall, 0-0-1 in conference play.
"We just couldn't get one," stated Wildcats head coach
Tom Carlin. "I thought the guys played hard, played smart and together. They carried out the game plan. We controlled the flow in the second half and the overtimes. Luca (Mellor), Shane (Bradley) and Carson (Williams) were tremendous and really kept us in position.
"Credit to DePaul too. They stuck with what they wanted to do. When we had chances they were close and closed it down quickly."
The Wildcats have been among the stingiest sides in the non-conference portion of BIG EAST action – surrendering just two goals – and their skill was on display in the first 45 minutes. Nova kept the Blue Demons at bay despite being outshot 7-0. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper
Carson Williams (Plano, Tex.) made three saves in the period.
Williams was in position to make another big save in the early portion of the second half. But Villanova then began applying more pressure of its own, with junior
Theo Quartey and senior
Evan Vare both generating shots.
Quartey and freshman
Lyam MacKinnon did some excellent work to generate a series of chances. Quartey's cross found MacKinnon, whose redirected bid on a header was stopped by DePaul goalkeeper Drew Nuelle. A few minutes later, senior
Conor Bradley redirected a feed from Quartey, sending a header that appeared ticketed for the top left side of the goal before Nuelle got a hand on it.
Through 80 minutes on a warm 81 degree day, neither team had found that elusive goal.
The Villanova heat produced another near miss in the 88
th minute. This time freshman
Marcus Brenes sent a ball to Quartey, whose bid for the go-ahead score hit the right goalpost.
"Theo did a great job on the right side, being creative and generating some chances," Carlin noted. "
Evan Vare had some good runs in there too."
The match headed to overtime. The first 10 minutes were quiet but the Wildcats got shots from freshman
Marcus Brenes and
Richie Schlentz in the second extra frame. The latter was saved by a diving Nuelle in the 108
th minute.
That would turn out to be the last great scoring opportunity of the afternoon.
"It happens in soccer," stated Carlin. "We feel like we missed an opportunity, but you can't dwell on it. All we can control is our next moment."
The Wildcats owned a 20-13 edge in shots and 5-4 margin in shots on goal. All of that activity on the offensive side came after the first 45 minutes. Williams made four saves for the 'Cats while Nuelle made five stops for the Blue Demons.
This match concluded a stretch of three straight away from home for the Wildcats. Villanova will be back in action on campus on Tuesday when George Washington will be at the Higgins Soccer Complex for a non-conference clash that kicks off at 4 p.m. (Nova Nation All-Access).
"We're going to be happy to be home," said Carlin. "We're excited to have a chance to be on our field, where we've played well."
Villanova returns to BIG EAST action on Saturday, Sept. 28 when it visits Creighton for a contest that kicks off at 8 p.m.
