GAMBIER, Ohio – A battle of the defenses was the name of the game this Saturday afternoon as the Kenyon College men's soccer team faced Case Western Reserve University, finishing 0-0 at Mavec Field.
The result moves the Owls to 4-1-2 on the season, while the Spartans remain unbeaten at 6-0-2.
From the opening whistle, both sides fought for control in a possession-heavy first half. The Owls pressed Case Western deep into its own half, maintaining long stretches of control while probing for an opening. In the 22nd minute, Kenyon nearly struck first when sophomore
Hayato Ishii drove down the right wing, cut inside to his left, and fired a curling effort from the edge of the 18. His shot was destined for the upper corner, but CWR-U goalkeeper Bradley Winter made a fingertip save to keep the game leveled.
The second half mirrored the first, with the Owls continuing to apply pressure through extended possession and set-piece opportunities. Kenyon generated six corner kicks in the final 45 minutes and created several buildup plays in the attacking third, but the Spartan defense remained organized and turned away each threat. Case Western's best chance came in the 48th minute, when Amir Awais fired low to the center of goal, but Kenyon goalkeeper
Dominic Pratt was equal to the task, collecting his lone save of the afternoon.
Looking at the stat sheet, the good guys out shot the bad guys 7-3 with Ishii leading the charge with three attempts, including the team's only shot on target. Sophomore
Justin Buchwalter chipped in with two shots, while teammates
Moustapha Gassama and
Joey Nigro each registered one. On the defensive end, the backline stood firm, with Pratt anchoring the lads to his third clean sheet of the year.
Kenyon looks to host Otterbein University on Tuesday, September 23, with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m. at Mavec Field.
