PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Lafayette's season opener at Duquesne was a defensive battle, with neither side allowing a goal after 90 minutes in a scoreless draw on Thursday afternoon.
Sophomore goalkeeper Harrsion Wolfrom earned a clean sheet, saving all four shots he faced in his first collegiate start.
The first matchup of the season started with intensity, with Duquesne being awarded a free kick inside the box just two minutes into the game. While the initial shot was blocked by a wall of Leopards, the rebound fell to the feet of Dukes' midfielder Pepo Bravo, who fired a shot that would have found the back of the net were it not for Harrison Wolfrom leaping to make his first collegiate save.
The next major opportunity came with 15 minutes left in the first half when the ball found the right foot of Duquesne's midfielder Jaxon Ervin just a few yards from the goal. Junior defender Anthony Durling made a last-ditch effort and slid to block Ervin's shot.
As the half was winding down, Duquesne got two quick chances on goal. However, Wolfrom closed the door on both shots, keeping the score deadlocked 0-0 at the halftime whistle. After the first 45 minutes, Duquesne led in shots (8-0), shots on goal (3-0) and corners (1-0)
In the 55th minute, the Leopards got their first big chance of the match when forward Roy Biegon fired a shot on target, but Duquesne goalkeeper Sam Coss made a huge save to keep the game tied.
With just 20 minutes left, Dukes' midfielder Marko Rasmussen received a pass just outside the 18-yard box before dribbling past Leopard defenders and breaking through the backline. He then ripped a low driven shot where Wolfrom came up big again, this time with a kick-save.
In the 81st minute, quick passing and a solid through ball from the Leopards' midfield gave Riley Martin a solid look on goal but he was unable to put the shot on frame.
The Maroon and White's best chance came in the 84th minute when senior defender Nikolas Hadjimitsis launched a shot goalward that was cleared off the line at the very last second by a Duquesne defender.
Defenses prevailed in the last five minutes of action, with neither team taking advantage of opportunities leading to a 0-0 deadlock at fulltime.
The Leopards return home next Wednesday to face Binghamton for a 7 p.m. clash.
To keep up with the Lafayette men's soccer team, follow its social media pages.
X/@Lafayette_MSOC | Instagram/@lafayette_msoc | Facebook/GoLeopards
