CUA and Merchant Marine Academy battle to scoreless tie

WASHINGTON – The CUA men’s soccer team earned its first point of the 2010 conference season on Saturday as the Cardinals battled Merchant Marine Academy to a 0-0 tie in double overtime.  CUA was whistled for being offside following an apparent goal with under ten minutes remaining in the match, leaving things knotted at zero.

The Cardinals were credited with 19 shots on the afternoon, while the Mariners totaled 12.  CUA held a decided advantage in corner kicks with eight, to the visitors two.  There were 30 combined fouls called, including 22 on Merchant Marine Academy.

CUA’s Quinn Daly stopped six shots in goal for the home team and Gary Poulin stopped six shots for the Mariners.

The early portion of the match was more about who was being whistled for fouls as opposed to who had scoring chances.  There were seven fouls called in the first 14 minutes of play.

CUA’s first shot came from Mike DiMarco at the 9:24 mark, but it sailed wide, while DiMarco’s shot one minute later was stopped by Poulin.

DiMarco’s third shot of the day came with nearly 15 minutes gone, and it too was sent back by Poulin.  Ian Smith’s attempt at the 23:49 mark went high as the game remained tied at zero.

Mike Brennan’s shot at the 38:18 mark was sent back by Poulin as was Tyler Bills’ attempt with exactly three minutes on the clock.  Soon after that, the teams retired for halftime, still knotted at zero.

CUA was awarded two corner kicks early in the second, but was unable to capitalize on either. 

Around the 61-minute mark, Merchant Marine unleashed a fury of shots, but Quinn stopped one, another was blocked and the third went wide, keeping the score at 0-0.

A CUA corner kick at the 73:26 mark resulted in a shot for Matt Hofrichter, but it sailed wide, while a second CUA corner kick a minute later resulted in a shot for Smith, which was blocked.  The Cardinals were only able to muster two more attempts in regulation, one by Duffy that went wide and another from Smith, that Poulin stopped. 

CUA’s apparent goal came on a beautiful header with 79:56 gone in the match, but the officials whistled the Cardinals for offside, and the teams eventually headed for overtime.

CUA dominated the first extra session with all four shots, but the Mariners were up to the challenge as they kept the Cardinals out of the net.

In the second overtime, the teams combined for just one shot, which came from the Mariners’ Ryan Silveria, but Daly stopped it cold and the teams were forced to settle for a scoreless draw.

CUA will return to the pitch on Wednesday, October 6 when the Cardinals play host to Washington College.  Start time is scheduled for 3:30.