SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University men's soccer team maintained its unbeaten streak, but was forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against Williams Baptist (Ark.) on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
In a highly contested match marked by numerous fouls and cards, both teams struggled to find the back of the net, with the Golden Eagles' (3-0-3) attacking efforts thwarted by an outstanding performance from Williams Baptist goalkeeper Rodrigo Pina.
John Brown's last 0-0 draw came back on Nov. 2, 2017 at Oklahoma City's Brian Harvey Field.
Throughout the match, John Brown applied consistent pressure on the visitors' defense, outshooting Williams Baptist (3-1-3) in the first half, 2-1. Early in the match, senior Erick Diaz tested Pina with a shot in the 6th minute, followed shortly by an effort from senior Alejandro Ramirez in the 7th minute. Both attempts were comfortably saved by Pina, who would go on to record five saves by the final whistle.
The host side found itself in advantageous positions on multiple occasions, earning four corner kicks, but were unable to capitalize. Perhaps the best opportunity came in the 72nd minute when a penalty kick was awarded to the Golden Eagles after a foul inside the box. Diaz stepped up to take the kick but was denied by Pina, who guessed correctly and deflected the shot over the crossbar to keep the match level.
Despite being held scoreless, John Brown's defense remained solid throughout the match. Sophomore Adam Tebbs, who faced seven shots overall, was called into action only once, making a routine save in the 51st minute on a hard shot from Mateus Ribeiro. The backline absorbed several waves of Williams Baptist counter-attacks, especially in the second half when the visiting Eagles out-shot JBU, 6-5.
The second half also saw a flurry of yellow cards and a red card issued to WBU defender Lucas Mahlow in the 77th minute, reducing the visitors to ten men. However, even with the man advantage, John Brown could not break through the disciplined Eagle defense. Freshman Alejandro Gallardo came close to finding a late winner with a header in the 89th minute, but Pina once again proved to be the difference-maker, making the save and saving the rebound as well.
The draw keeps John Brown undefeated through six matches with one contest remaining in non-conference play. JBU welcomes No. 15 Columbia (Mo.) to Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 21) for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The SAC Sports Network will carry the match live.
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