DES MOINES, Iowa – The Western Michigan University men's soccer team earned a point in a scoreless draw with the Drake Bulldogs.
The Bronco defense limited Drake to a lone shot on goal through 90 minutes in a well earned 0-0 tie on Saturday. WMU's back line shined in keeping the opposing offense away from the net as the Bulldogs recorded only eight shots. The Brown and Gold had more scoring chances at Mediacom Stadium with three shots on goal, all from different players. Midfielders Josh Veychek and
Jordan Klein led Western Michigan's offense with two shots each.
"The boys played hard tonight," discussed Head Coach
Chad Wiseman following the draw. "When you play Drake, you have to be ready to battle for every roll of the ball. A road shutout is a positive as the run of play created very few opportunities."
It was a slow start to the match for the Broncos as Drake had four shots in the first seven minutes. But the Bulldogs didn't record another shot for the next 38 minutes as WMU dominated possession time. The Brown and Gold had control of the ball for 57% of the first half for four corners and five additional set pieces.
"We knew set pieces would play a big part of the match tonight," stated Wiseman. "We were sharp defensively in those moments on Bulldog set pieces."
Western Michigan matched Drake's four shots in the half over the last 19 minutes. Veychek had the only shot on target in the 30
th minute on a strike just outside the 18 after an earlier shot from Klein rang off the crossbar.
The match then became a defensive battle in the second half at Mediacom Stadium. The first 15 minutes of the half included no shots and only two corner kicks. The Bulldogs recorded the first two shots of the half, one that sailed well over the net and the other blocked by the Bronco defense. Junior forward
Vitor Geromel forced the first save of the half in the 72
nd minute with a long attempt to the middle of the net.
It'd be over 10 minutes until another shot was attempted as the teams battled in the midfield for possession. Drake had two quick shots in the 85
th and 87
th minute, one of which was saved by redshirt goalkeeper
Alex Lindewirth and one which was again blocked by the defense. The Brown and Gold had the last scoring chance of the match in the 88
th minute following a Bulldog foul. Right off a free kick, Klein put a shot on goal just before the attacking third that was saved by Drake for the 0-0 draw.
"Our attack had some really nice transition opportunities. But we just couldn't make the right decision on the final ball," said Wiseman.
Western Michigan remains at .500 in conference play with four points in four matches. The Broncos will play their final non-conference match next week in the Windy City. WMU faces the DePaul Blue Deamons for the first time in seven years on Tuesday afternoon. Kickoff from Chicago at Wish Field is set for 4:00 p.m. EST on October 20.
