A 0-0 result against Hawai’i Hilo on Monday night advances Cougars record to 6-5-2
After a short two-day break for Azusa Pacific’s women’s soccer team, they were back on the pitch Monday night to play Hawai’i Hilo. Coming off a strong 5-2 win over Hawai’i Pacific, the Cougars aimed to build momentum and continue their winning ways. Unfortunately, they left the field with a scoreless tie.
Despite what the score may assume, the Cougars played incredibly strong all night and moved the ball efficiently throughout. It was apparent that APU was the better team from the start, as they outshot UHH 25-5 by the end of the contest. Nevertheless, the Cougars were unable to capitalize on their scoring chances.
APU put together a dominant first half, as they accumulated 12 shots, including three on goal. UHH goalkeeper Bailey Cahill was up for the task as she saved all three shots on goal. As for APU’s defense, they didn’t allow a single shot in the first 45 minutes.
APU goalkeeper Isabelle Decker, who made her first appearance in goal so far this season, was tested in the 56th minute with her first shot on goal, which she was able to save. Although UHH accumulated four more shots, including two on goal, the Cougars maintained their effective ball movement and added 10 more shots to their total.
With no shots reaching the back of the net, the score remained 0-0 at the end of the second half. This led to the two 10-minute overtime periods in which the victor must score the first goal.
During the first 10 minutes, the Cougars took three shots, with two on goal. But Cahill saved them again, and the Cougars were unable to tally a goal. The defense, on the other hand, remained composed as their backline didn’t allow a shot in the first overtime period.
The second overtime period was much more challenging for the Cougars, as their abilities to create chances came to a halt when APU didn’t earn a single shot in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
As for UHH, they were given an excellent opportunity to steal the game from the Cougars in the 108th minute when Christina Kanellou attempted to sneak the ball in the bottom right corner of the goal. Luckily for the Cougars, Decker was able to make the save, which resulted in completing the game in a 0-0 tie.
After obtaining a point, APU now has seven points so far in conference play with their 2-3-1 record. They are currently sixth in the standings. Their overall record is 6-5-2 with five games left to be played in their regular-season schedule.
The Cougars will continue their five-game homestand on Saturday against the Chaminade Silverswords. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at the Cougar Soccer Complex.