EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team opened its conference slate with a 0-0 draw on the road against East Stroudsburg on Wednesday evening.

The Huskies (3-0-3, 0-0-1 PSAC East) and Warriors (3-3-2, 0-0-1 PSAC East) went back and forth all night, with the two PSAC East title contenders coming up square in the opening day of PSAC play. Both sides managed to put just two shots on target on Wednesday, with neither team able to find the back of the net, marking the first time in the series dating back to 2001 that neither team had scored.

How It Happened:
East Stroudsburg got the first swing of offensive pressure in the match, with the point of the attack running through Ryan Kiernan. The forward for the Warriors rattled off the first shots of the night, with one attempt wide of the inside post and another shot blocked by the Bloomsburg defense in front of the goal. East Stroudsburg's offensive pressure in the ensuing moments increased with a pair of corners that proved fruitless.

The Huskies' first real chance inside the 18-yard box came off a long throw from Micah Diggs (Groton, Conn./Fitch). The defender's initial toss was one on the first ball by an East Stroudsburg player before Jake Pacacha (Shelton, Conn./St. Joseph) put a play into the box. A mad scramble for the ball followed, with Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) having several hacks blocked at his feet before an attempt from distance by Zayd DeVeaux (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) sailed high and left of the woodwork. Bloomsburg's next effort for a goal came off the left foot of Pacacha. The junior momentarily split two Warrior defenders to get free and try a hurried attempt that rose too high above the crossbar.

The first shots on target for both sides came around the half-hour mark of the contest. Looking to dart towards the goal, Hollobaugh received a pass from Zach Morales (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) toward the box before making an effort to cut in between multiple East Stroudsburg defenders. The opportunity transitioned into a one-two with Pacacha, with the forward's effort caught by the Warriors' goalkeeper Kevin Kretschman. East Stroudsburg forced Huskies' goalie Peter Punchello (Jamison, Pa./William Penn Charter) into action with a volley attempt by Kiernan, who had Bloomsburg's sophomore shot stopper jump into the fray to corral a loose ball.

With just over five minutes to play, the Warriors managed to get off a number of shots from their set-piece opportunities, but none were of any consequence. The final countdown of the first half saw the action hit a lull, as the two teams entered the break scoreless. 

East Stroudsburg opened the second half as it did the match itself, firing off shot attempts from its opportunities with no discretion and to no avail. The Warriors managed to finally create one of their desired counter-attacking chances around the 63rd minute, as East Stroudsburg managed to spring loose the speedy Darryl Longdon. The forward used what space he had on the closing Huskies' defense to take a crack at goal that rippled the side netting at the near post.

Arguably, Bloomsburg's cleanest opportunity at a goal came in the 66th minute, as the Huskies themselves sought to get up the field quickly. Braden Alicea (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) intercepted a pass in the defensive half to start the movement, laying a pass to Pacahca before cutting through the middle of the field. After getting the ball back, Alicea laid off a pass to Caleb Sitler (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra), with the forward moving to get the ball onto his right foot. Sitler's shot forced Kretschman off his feet, but not enough to create a loose ball chance at the back post. Jace Seara put the final shot on target on the evening, as neither team could manufacture clean looks. Whether from set pieces or from open play, Wednesday's battle proved destined for a scoreless draw.

Numbers of Note:
3 - The contests between Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg have been narrow over the past several years. Three of the last five meetings between the teams have finished in a draw, dating back to 2023.

On the Horizon:
The Bloomsburg men's soccer team returns to action at Steph Pettit Stadium for its first home contest of conference play with a matchup against West Chester.