SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Villanova battled to a 0-0 draw to open the season against Syracuse on Thursday night at SU Soccer Stadium.
The result marked the first season-opening draw for Villanova (0-0-1) since a 1-1 double overtime result against Radford on August 23, 2013. The series with Syracuse (0-0-1) moved to a 6-2-2 advantage for the Wildcats since 1996, logging the first draw since 2005.
Villanova went into the halftime break trailing the shot tally 2-0 but poured on the attempts in the second half to make it an even 5-5 shot margin by the final whistle. Junior forward
Morgan Kotch led the 'Cats with two shots that both landed on frame. Julia Arbelaez led Syracuse with four attempts, two that she placed on goal. Graduate goalkeeper
Hannah Dickinson was called on for two saves for the Blue and White while the Orange's Maya Naimoli needed to make four saves.
"I felt that our team did a really, really good job adjusting," head coach
Samar Azem said. "We weren't expecting Syracuse to be as direct as they were and that's OK, that's soccer; and the first half, we didn't get ahold of it. The players did a phenomenal job in the second half.
"I think this is a very good starting point, but at the same time, listen, we're getting back on the bus and we wanted three points. We wanted the win and we're not getting that. We got the shutout, which we wanted, so there's an extreme amount of lack of satisfaction and this is a very, very hungry group."
Syracuse delivered a pair of chances early that Dickinson was able to corral. One of the most dangerous looks came in the 39
th minute off an Orange corner. Abby Incorvaia took a shot that launched toward the right post where Dickinson was able to stop it with both hands before the defense cleared it out of play.
The scoreless stalemate through the opening 45 saw Syracuse hold a 2-0 shot advantage. Villanova was able to withstand seven corners from the Orange in the frame.
Villanova's best chance came in the 53rd minute when
Dez Zapata played a ball in front of the net to
Ryley Dixon. Her chance bounced off
Amalia Cardo who was in front of Syracuse keeper Naimoli. Dixon sent the redirect into the back of the net, but video review disallowed the goal.
Kotch had a pair of looks in the final 15 minutes that both came up short. Her first look came on a header off of a free kick in the 77
th minute that went right to Naimoli. Later in the 86
th minute, the junior got her foot on the ball in a quick one-on-one battle near the goal line that Naimoli saved in a sliding attempt.
Villanova's made one final push in the 90
th minute with a pass deep inside to Zapata who was waiting near the left post. She knocked a one-timer toward the opposite post that was saved off the quick foot of Naimoli and back into play for a Villanova throw-in as time expired.
Villanova stays in the Keystone State this weekend with a short trip to Lehigh on Sunday. Kickoff in Bethlehem is set for 3 p.m. Fans who cannot make it to the game can stream it live on ESPN+.
