In a game of missed opportunities for both teams, the EMU soccer men settled for a 0-0 draw against Guilford College Saturday to wrap up EMU’s Homecoming.
Both teams were desperate for the three points of a win, but the draw left they remained tied for tenth in the ODAC standings with two points. Emory & Henry and Hampden-Sydney are tied for eighth with four points. Only the top nine make the postseason tournament.
It’s the second scoreless draw in the past three games for the Royals.
The men are looking for some points as they head into the final two weeks of the season. They host Virginia WesleyanWednesday night at 7:30pm on Senior Recognition before heading to surprising Randolph-Macon next Saturday.
EMU had an edge in play over the first 45 minutes, but Guilford nearly got a score in the 36th minute. The Quakers seemed to get a shot from the end line into the goal, but the score was waved off due to an offsides.
Caleb Oakes (Waynesboro, Va./Stuarts Draft) had a great header saved off a corner in the 56th minute. Two minutes later,Juan Luna (Mount Jackson, Va./Stonewall Jackson) had GC’s keeper beat, but his blast was squarely stopped by a Quaker defender.
Guilford had their own close calls, missing a sure goal by inches in the 50th and having another shot go off the crossbar in the 64th.
The Royals came out strong in the first overtime, but had one shot blocked and another from Dominic Powers (Culpeper, Va./Fresta Valley Christian) saved.
The visitors nearly won it in the second OT, but had another shot get passed keeper Matthew Overacker (Mount Crawford, Va./Turner Ashby) only to miss just left. With four minutes remaining, there was a stoppage in play as Luna went down with a cramp. The delay, combined with the chilly night air, seemed to take the steam out of both teams until the end.
EMU had a 19-17 advantage in shots, including 10-4 on goal. Luna, Powers, Oakes and Dave Drafton (Alexandria, Va./Howard Gardner) each had two shots on goal.
Overacker finished with four saves, giving him an ODAC-best 77 saves this year. The junior is also tied for the ODAC lead with six shutouts.
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