FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Oakland Golden Grizzlies played Purdue Fort Wayne to a 1-1 tie on Saturday. Oakland finished with a 17-10 advantage in shots, including 13 attempts in the first half, while both teams put five shots on goal.
Oakland generated the bulk of the first-half chances but could not find a finish, putting 13 shots toward goal while the half ended without a goal. The Golden Grizzlies opened with attempts from
Isabella Bierod and
Ava Ruffino in the first five minutes, with Bierod and Ruffino each forcing saves from Aimee Abraham.
Oakland continued to press through the middle of the half, including saved shots by
Emma Smith and
Sophie Schultz and a Bierod attempt that hit the woodwork in the 25th minute. Purdue Fort Wayne had its best early spell around the 10th minute, including a Scarlett Webster shot off the woodwork, and
Norah Schmidt made a save on Hailey Hoskins in the 45th minute to send Oakland into halftime scoreless.
Oakland answered Purdue Fort Wayne's 70th-minute goal less than five minutes later, as
Ella Shapiro scored from
Bailey Giddings at 74:28 to pull the match even at 1-1. It was Shapiro's first goal of the season and Giddings' first assist of the season. Earlier, Oakland generated corner kicks at 48:28 and 50:33, followed by shots from Schultz and
Olivia Norton, and later added another corner at 57:05. Purdue Fort Wayne created chances around that stretch, but
Norah Schmidt saved shots at 54:51 and 65:35 before Emersyn Geik scored off a Morgan Gallagher assist at 70:04. Oakland came through a six-foul stretch without a card, got a team save on a Purdue Fort Wayne shot at 76:11 and earned one more corner in the 87th minute as the second half ended 1-1 and the match finished tied.
Ella Shapiro scored Oakland's goal and finished with three shots, including one on goal.
Bailey Giddings recorded an assist and added one shot off the bench.
Norah Schmidt played all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves. Schultz matched the team high with three shots and put one on goal.
Up next, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies soccer team travels to Indianapolis, Indiana, to face IU Indy on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m.
