The UMKC women’s soccer team faced off against Seattle U on Sunday afternoon at Durwood Soccer Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, in a match the pitted the two best defensive teams in the Western Athletic Conference, and ended in a 0-0 tie thanks to some nifty goalkeeping from senior Nina Tzianos and freshman Anna Lillig.
The first half of the match was a heavily defensive battle as expected, with Seattle U (6-2-3, 1-0-2 WAC) controlling most of the possession, but UMKC’s (7-4-1, 1-1-1 WAC) stout defense held steady throughout the period, allowing just three shots, with Tzianos recording a save. The ‘Roos lone shot came off the foot of junior midfielder Emily Herndon and sailed high.
Seattle came out of the break on the attack, looking to break the tie, but Tzianos was having none of it, putting up a spectacular gallery of saves to keep the Redhawks off of the scoreboard. She recorded four spectacular saves in the half, but had to come out of the game in the 79th minute due to a leg injury after banging into a Seattle player while going to clean up the danger from an SU corner.
Seeing her first collegiate action, freshman Anna Lillig stepped in goal and took over right where her predecessor left off, tending the net to perfection in regulation, recording her first collegiate save along the way.
The first overtime saw numerous opportunities for the ‘Roos, but facing one of the top goalkeepers in the conference in Seattle’s Brianna Smallidge proved to be no easy task. Freshman Reighan Childers had a nice look from just beyond the 18, but the SU keeper made a great save to keep the game going. UMKC had another opportunity just moments later, but an offside penalty negated an open look from freshman Lexie Howard.
With just one minute remaining in the first overtime, forward Kara Priest fired off a shot that would have been the game-winner had it not been for another good save from the Redhawks’ keeper.
In overtime number two, Lillig made her second save of the game from an Seattle U header, and from there the ‘Roos looked to end it. With just seconds remaining in the match, Childers sent a rocket that looked to be headed into the upper 90, but sailed just above the crossbar. The shot proved to be the last chance for either team, and the match ended 0-0.
The ‘Roos hit the road for the first time in nearly a month, as they travel to Bakersfield, California to play California State Bakersfield on October 9, then head to Phoenix, Arizona to face Grand Canyon University for a Sunday afternoon match on October 11 that kicks off at 3 p.m. CT.