MIAMI, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team played to a rain-soaked 0-0 draw against Florida International in Miami on Sunday evening. It was the Eagles' first tie of the season and moved their record to 2-1-1. It is the first time FGCU has failed to score this year, and the second clean sheet it has posted, the first coming in the Green and Blue's season-opening 6-0 win over Webber International.
FGCU goalie
Madara Matrevica stole the show throughout the match, but especially in the early going. The freshman made her first save of the night in the fifth minute, but perhaps the biggest highlight of her young collegiate career came in the 16th minute. The Latvian international stonewalled the first penalty kick she has faced with the Eagles, diving to her left to stop FIU's Brealyn Viamille from giving the Panthers the lead.
In the 23rd minute, Matrevica stepped up again and got some help. Off a corner, FIU put a header on target, but it was kept out by FGCU's
Megan Morgan. On the ensuing scramble, the Panthers threatened with another shot on net from close range, but Matrevica made her third stop of the match, and
Erika Zschuppe cleared the ball away from danger as it trickled towards the goal after Matrevica's deflection.
FIU managed seven shots, three of which were on goal, before FGCU mustered its first try. It came courtesy of
Kendal Gargiula, whose hard strike from outside the 18-yard box forced a sprawling save, nearly giving the Eagles the lead. In the 37th, Morgan almost redirected a
Tessa Brooks cross at the top of the six-yard box but narrowly came up short of what could have also been an FGCU tally. Matrevica made her fourth, and most comfortable, save in the 43rd minute on a shot from 30 yards out, and the two squads went into halftime scoreless.
The Panthers boasted 10 shots, four on goal, through 45 minutes, while FGCU had only Gargiula's 37th minute effort from distance.
Matrevica, playing in just her fourth match, set a new career high with her fifth save in the 51st minute, eclipsing her total of four against LSU on Aug. 21.
Lily Borders notched FGCU's second, and final, shot on goal a minute later, but, like Gargiula's, it was handled, and the contest remained scoreless. Matrevica extended her career-best mark to six saves in the 61st minute.
Both offenses went quiet for the rest of the evening. Across the final 29 minutes of the match, FIU managed six shots but did not put one on net. FGCU, meanwhile, attempted two shots, neither of which were on goal. In total, FIU outshot FGCU 20-4 overall, and 6-2 in terms of shots on goal, but neither squad found paydirt.
It is just the second draw in 17 all-time matches between FGCU and FIU, with the other coming in 2009. The Eagles lead the intra-state series 13-2-2.
FGCU (2-1-1, 0-0-0 ASUN) remains on the road Thursday when it travels to Gainesville, Fla. for a 7 p.m. matchup against Florida. It will be the third of four consecutive away tilts for the Green and Blue and second of three against an SEC opponent this year. The Eagles follow their contest with the Gators by traveling to Auburn next Sunday.
