Matadors Battle San Jose State to 0-0 Draw

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

CSUN Women's Soccer (3-1-3) played San Jose State (2-2-2) to a 0-0 draw on Friday evening at Matador Soccer Field. Earning its fifth shutout of the season and fourth straight, CSUN increased its string of shutout soccer to 431:15. Junior goalkeeper Jovani McCaskill recorded six saves in net to earn her fourth clean sheet of 2016.

"Our energy, effort and will to win is there," said head coach Keith West. "The goals aren't happening for us right now. I can't be upset with [the team]. They are giving it everything they got. When we start putting the ball into the net, the wins are going to come."

Allowing just two goals through six matches, the Matadors faced a San Jose State team that had surrendered three scores in five contests. More of the same would be on display on Friday as neither side gave up any scoring thrroughout the contest.

In an evenly matched game, the Matadors edged San Jose State in shots, 13-12, and in corner kick opportunities, 3-2. The Spartans, however, put six shots on goal to CSUN's five. The two sides also recorded 13 fouls apiece on the night.

After nearly a full half of back-and-forth play, CSUN earned a pair of quality looks near SJSU's net over the final minutes of the period. Camille Watson gathered a cross from Sylvia Trinh near the right side of the goal but her shot went wide left. In the final minute of the half, Bethany Fitzsimmons also had an opportunity at the goal on a breakaway opportunity, however, her attempt would go just wide as well.

San Jose State posted four shots in the opening period but the Matador defense kept the Spartans at bay. The unit blocked two shot attempts while McCaskill earned two of her six saves in the period.

The two teams continued to battle in the second half with each side registering five shot attempts over the final 45 minutes of regulation.

The Matadors had one of the closest calls of the evening in the 57th minute. Fitzsimmons crossed the ball to the right corner post where Jennifer Anderson found room and delivered a low shot to the net. However, goalkeeper Paige Simoneau made a diving play to her right to knock away the shot attempt.

Looking for the go-ahead goal, the Matadors earned another shot on goal off a set piece. In the 71st minute, Nicole Thompson connected on a header off a corner kick from Kourtney Kutscher. Simoneau though would make another save, gathering the shot cleanly.

Still deadlocked at 0-0, the team battled in two 10-minute overtime periods with each side having looks at the net. McCaskill made three saves in the first overtime including a shot from inside the box from Darriell Franklin after a CSUN turnover.

The Matadors outshot San Jose State, 3-0, in the second overtime and finished with a 4-3 advatange in the two extra periods combined. Simoneau made one save in overtime as she stopped a header from Thompson in the 103rd minute.

CSUN's fourth-straight shutout is the most for the program since the 2012 team posted five shutouts late in its season.

McCaskill earned her 11th shutout of her career, giving her sole possession of third place all-time in the CSUN record books. She also moved into eighth-place in all-time minutes played as she has amassed 2,220:57 for her career.

Thompson played the full match at center back for the seventh-straight time this season and fellow defender Lindsay Kutscher also competed in all 110 minutes of action.

CSUN returns to Matador Soccer Field for a Sunday match with No. 21 Pepperdine. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.

Matadors Battle San Jose State to 0-0 Draw

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Team Stats

Camille Watson

Breanna McCallum

Nicole Thompson

Kourtney Kutscher

Players Mentioned

Jennifer Anderson

Bethany Fitzsimmons

Kourtney Kutscher

Lindsay Kutscher

Jovani McCaskill

Nicole Thompson

Sylvia Trinh

Camille Watson