LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Despite 90 minutes of fierce play, the Central Arkansas women's soccer team dueled the Trojans to a 0-0 draw on Thursday. Both sides created plenty of chances, but the defenses reigned supreme.
The Bears move to 0-3-2 with the draw, earning their first clean sheet of the season.
Kajsa Pruner played a terrific match, coming off of her line with well-timed breaks and beating Little Rock forwards to the ball. It extends the team's unbeaten streak against the Trojans to six-straight matches, a streak that includes four victories.
Central Arkansas was aggressive off the kickoff, earning several corner kicks within the first five minutes of play. Though none of them resulted in a goal, it was indicative of the type of chances the Bears would create throughout the match. Shots from
Kelly Van Gundy and
Megan Moudy were close, but weren't on frame enough to necessitate saves.
Little Rock controlled possession for the middle of the first half, staying in the Bears' defensive third. Despite the pressure, the defenders for the Bears stayed calm and collected, repelling attack after attack, allowing just two shots on goal that Pruner stayed on top of.
After the halfway point, the offensive pressure stayed up, with both sides getting a shot on goal in the first ten minutes, the Bears from
Maria Vanegas and Little Rock's getting stopped by Pruner. As the half wore on, the Bears continued to make runs, driving deep into the corners and sending the ball through the 18-yard box, but struggled to find a recipient. Little Rock, on the other hand, took a more direct approach, driving down the middle of the field and letting shots go, resulting in an 8-2 advantage in shots.
But the difference in shots didn't tell the whole story; the Bears created an equal number of chances, zipping passes into dangerous spots but finding nothing on the other side. For a majority of the second half, the Bears were creating some of the best opportunities of the season, constantly pressuring the Trojans' defense. Little Rock created one more chance in the final minute, putting a shot on target, but Pruner scooped it up to essentially end the game.
Central Arkansas takes the pitch again on Sunday, playing Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. in Stillwater, Okla.
