Senior goalkeeper Madeline Gannon (Ft. Myers, Fla.) recorded six saves, and the FIU defense held strong throughout the match, as FIU shutout the opposition for the second straight match. However, the Golden Panthers offense was kept in check as FIU played the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette to a scoreless tie, Sunday afternoon at University Park.
"As a team, we're improving defensively," said FIU head coach Thomas Chestnutt. "We're creating opportunities. We're getting some very good looks at goal; now we just have to finish."
Even though the Cajuns (7-5-3; 3-1-2) dominated the first half in the box score, out-shooting the Golden Panthers (2-6-2; 0-4-2) nine to five, including a five to one shots-on-goal edge, it was FIU who controlled the run of play. None of the ULL attacks were very dangerous, as Gannon recorded five of her six saves in the first half.
The Golden Panthers would turn on the pressure after the break, creating more scoring opportunities, but unfortunately were not able to finish any of them.
In the 61st minute, Amy Jackson (Melbourne, Australia) nearly gave FIU the lead with a header off the Marina Pappas (Lancaster, Pa.) corner kick. The shot would sail wide, keeping the match scoreless.
Maria Gualdron (Miami, Fla.) had an opportunity to break the tie in the 71st minute when Claudia Cardenas (Visalia, Calif.) made a run on the right side and sent a pass across the box to Gualdron, who settled it and took the shot, but couldn't find the mark, as the shot went wide.
Possibly the most dangerous shot of the match came in the 86th minute when Marina Pappas again connected with Jackson. Pappas sent a free kick into the box and Jackson sent a threatening header towards goal, but it was too high.
The first period of overtime didn't see much offensive action as there was only one shot taken, that by ULL's Courtney Hoffland.
In the second overtime, the Cajuns got off four shots, none of them more dangerous than a header by Kelli Jestes off the Stephanie Lynch pass. However, that too would be too high.
There would be no other scoring threats as time expired, sending the Golden Panthers to their second straight scoreless tie.
"Louisiana-Lafayette is another good team," said Chestnutt. "They were ranked third in the conference coming into today. The girls really stepped up."
The Golden Panthers take a break from conference play this Wednesday as they host cross-town rival Miami, Wednesday night at 7PM.
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