ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Zoe Brasher was outstanding in goal to preserve a clean sheet for the Eckerd women's soccer team's 0-0 draw against Bentley (Mass.) at Johnson Field on Sunday afternoon.
Early in the first half, Eckerd's Brasher was tested, making key saves from Bentley's Bridget Gleason and Gabby Vachon to keep the score level. The Tritons earned multiple corner kicks in the opening 20 minutes, showing their attacking intent, but Bentley was able to thwart off their attempts. In the 34th minute, Brasher made a pair of back-to-back saves before Bentley was called offside. A solid defensive effort from both teams in the opening frame kept the score knotted at 0-0 heading into the intermission.
The second half saw Eckerd ramp up its offensive efforts, with Kendall Drummond and Ashley Nelson forcing the Falcons' goalkeeper, Claire Ewen, into action. Eckerd's defense remained solid, with Sophia Butkovich providing a strong presence on the field, with a pair of blocked shots and forcing the Falcons to make mistakes in the midfield. In the waning seconds of the match, Paige Norris shot a long range attempt that was turned aside to close the game in a 0-0 draw.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 0, Bentley (Mass.) 0
RECORDS: Eckerd 1-1-3; Bentley 2-1-1
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- In her season debut, Brasher's 11 saves were a career high, as Eckerd led in saves 11-6.
- Drummond paced the Tritons' offense with two shots, both falling on goal.
- Paige Norris, Misha Bhandari, and Kailani Casazza each made their first career starts.
- EC led in corner kicks 5-4.
UP NEXT
Eckerd kicks off the start of SSC play Saturday, traveling down to Miami Shores, Fla. to face off against Barry at 7:00 PM.
