ROCHESTER, Mich. - Oakland played Northern Ky. to a 0-0 tie on Friday at Oakland Soccer Field.
Oakland kept Northern Ky. off the board in the first half despite sustained pressure, with
Cole Thompson making three saves and the defense getting through five attacking actions from the 26th through 37th minutes without conceding.
Thompson stopped shots in the fifth, seventh and 16th minutes, while
Cal Kurzawa gave Oakland two early looks that went wide, including a breakaway chance that was rolled just past the right post.
Northern Ky. hit the left woodwork in the 26th minute and continued to press, but the Golden Grizzlies held the match scoreless through that stretch. Oakland answered with late pressure of its own, getting shots from Christopher Jean Leger,
Ethan Clarke-Rootham and
Jayden Pinheiro around a 42nd-minute corner kick before the half ended 0-0.
Oakland opened the second half with
Kinan Abdulrazzak's attempt in the 46th minute. Oakland was forced to play the rest of the half with ten players after
Grant Mateer was shown a red card in the 47th minute after a collision with the NKU keeper.
The Golden Grizzlies were able to still attack down one, and earned corner kicks in the 50th and 55th minutes, while Thompson kept Northern Ky. scoreless with saves in the 60th and 65th minutes during a stretch of pressure.
Oakland answered with chances from
Zach Townsend in the 68th minute and Jean Leger in the 71st minute before Thompson stopped another attempt in the 72nd minute. The attack kept working with
Gabe Gjokaj's saved shot in the 75th minute and corners in the 77th and 80th minutes.
Another big chance escaped Oakland in the 83rd minute as Jean Leger's shot went wide in the 84th minute on another breakaway chance.
Thompson made nine saves over 90 minutes and finished without allowing a goal for the fourth time this season, including six saves in the second half. Northern Ky. held a 19-12 shot edge and a 9-2 advantage in shots on goal. Jean Leger led Oakland with four shots.
Up next, Oakland travels to Dayton, Ohio, to face Wright State University in the regular season finale on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m.
