Barbourville, KY – Despite the (RV) Patriots dominating the game with possession and offensive chances, their first game of the season against Union College ended in a 0-0 tie. This marks the second straight season UC has started their season with a tie.
Both
Shuma Sasaki and
Bruno Garcia led the team with two shots on goal.
Rodrigo Riveros and
Stephen Appiah both recorded two shots as well.
Cumberlands came out of the gates firing, where the recorded seven shots compared to Union's just one shot. UC started the shots early as well, with Appiah firing a shot just over nine minutes into the match, but it went just wide right of the goal. Sasaki followed that up just three minutes later with a shot of his own, that the Bulldogs' goalkeeper had to dive at in order to keep out of the back of the net.
Some of UC's best chances came off corner kicks. The team had 10 in the game, five in each half, while only giving up one a half to Union. A corner kick opportunity that looked like it was going to lead to a Cumberlands goal came in the 38'.
Tommaso Ogliari sailed the ball to the far post where
Bruno Garcia headed in, but Union's goalkeeper stretched out to make the save.
The second half stayed in the UC attack for most of the 45 minutes as well. This time the team had four shots, with three of them being on target, but once again their keeper was up to the task to stop them.
The Patriots' defense was up for the attacking Buldogs all game long. They only allowed one shot on goal and four shots total. In the 67'
Ingmar Struck had to stop a shot from a free kick just outside the 18-yard box after a Cumberlands' foul. This marks the first shutout of the Flensburg, Germany native's career.
The Patriots will be back in action for their second game of the season on August 25 when they face Grace College in Winona Lake, IN. Kickoff is set for 7PM ET.
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