CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The SVSU Cardinal Men's Soccer team began the 2018 campaign with a tough test, traveling to play the No. 1 team in the nation and defending national champion University of Charleston Golden Eagles. Saginaw Valley played solid throughout, coming away with a 0-0 tie at Schoenbaum Stadium.
Both teams weren't able to find the back of the net after 110 minutes of gritty competition, as Saginaw Valley got-off three shots in each half to Charleston's one. Each team had one shot-apiece in an overtime period, giving the Cards a 7-2 overall edge.
Four of the Cardinals' shots were on goal, but all were stopped by Charleston's Alvaro Unanua Dean.
SVSU's defense was impressive throughout, allowing only those two shots and none on goal in the double-overtime contest.
Inside the Boxscore
- Michael Hamilton had two shots, with one on goal for SVSU.
- Brian Sockow had a shot on goal, as did newcomer Ryan Pierson.
- Liam Travers had the other shot on goal for SVSU, putting his only attempt on net.
- Lukas Betz (0-0-1) saw his first action between the posts for the Cardinals, helping a stout defense in his first clean sheet.
From Head Coach Andy Wagstaff...
"Tonight we played like warriors! The character and spirit that we showed from the first whistle was special. We are really proud of the entire squad for their attention to detail and the game plan, which was a collaborative effort by the staff and players. With that kind of character, bravery and mental resilience we can make this a special season. We had chances to win the game and, with a little more sharpness in front of the net, could have come away with a win. We need to recover now before our next match, which counts more in the overall regional rankings than tonight's draw. We will enjoy this performance and prepare for a strong Alderson Broaddus team on Saturday."
Up Next...
SVSU travels to play Alderson Broaddus on Saturday (Sep. 1) in a 4:00 p.m. matchup. The Battlers are coming off a 3-0 loss to Northwood University on Thursday afternoon.
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