WOLFVILLE, NS – Two teams that have yet to record a loss this season faced off Friday night at Acadia's Raymond Field as the Acadia Axewomen and StFX X-women took to the field. The game would finish with a 0-0 final score with neither team able to penetrate the other's defensive curtain.
StFX. started the game off aggressively, being first to the ball often and controlling the tempo for the start of the game. But midway through the first half, Acadia would seize control and put the X-women on their heels firing 20 shots towards StFX keeper Erin Visser in the opening half.
Visser made a number of key saves in the first half despite fourth year Axewomen midfielder Talisa Silzer's production of several great scoring opportunities. As the whistle blew to signal halftime, the score remained 0-0 with the shots on goal 20-5 in favour of Acadia.
Acadia started the second half in a bit of a lull as StFX came out prepared. The Axewomen would answer back though and both teams picked up the tempo in the final six minutes of play but defense prevailed and neither team could find the back of the net.
Two second-year defenders won the Subway Player of the Game honors for their respective teams. Emily Nickerson was named for the Axewomen while Claire Gibbons received the award for the X-women. Both were key in anchoring their teams' defense and the resulting 0-0 score.
Visser recorded the shutout for StFX with 28 saves and senior keeper Caroline Wood kept the scoreboard clean for Acadia saving 13 shots.
Axewomen head coach Amit Batra was positive on the tie but noted that at some point, opportunities need to become goals. "I think defensively we were solid again. It seems hard for teams to break us down. That's a real positive. Offensively we had our chances and it's hard to play. You are not going to get 90 minutes of chances and you have to capitalize on the ones you get".
Batra added "The good news is that we were in positions to get goals. I think it will happen in one of those tough wins and when it does it will give us confidence. Moving froward there are no easy opponents in the AUS and StFX is definitely one of those solid teams"
StFX improves to 2-0-2 and third place in the AUS standings with eight points, while Acadia holds onto second place with nine points and a 2-0-3 record – four points behind league leading UNB. The X-women head home to face Dalhousie in a Sunday afternoon game while Acadia will host Memorial Sunday morning at 11:00 am.
Submitted by Ashley Hasler
Acadia Sports Information Office