BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team finished Saturday with a 0-0 draw against Lock Haven. 

The Saturday contest proved to be a physical affair, as the two teams jostled for what ended up a scoreless contest. The efforts of the two sides resulted in a fight for possession, limiting the total action to 13 combined shots, with just three on target.

How It Happened:
The Huskies (0-0-2) made a strong push through the first 10 minutes of the game, putting noticeable pressure on the Bald Eagles' (1-0-1) defensive half. Caleb Sitler (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) and Adrian Rodriguez (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) each had shots that did not force Lock Haven goalkeeper Ethan Beck into action.

Peter Punchello (Jamison, Pa./William Penn Charter) had arguably the highlight of the contest in the 14th minute from Lock Haven's first shot of the match. A free kick deep in the Bald Eagles' end made its way across the field, eventually being brought down by Kade Black. Black controlled the ball towards the top of the box, turned, and forced a tremendous save out of Punchello on a shot aimed at the top right corner.

Lock Haven maintained possession for an extended period in the first half. The stretch led to favorable opportunities for the Bald Eagles, creating four shots and two corners across 20 minutes of action that detailed the defensive nature of the contest before the game went into the halftime break scoreless.

In the second half, Lock Haven once more looked for a goal, this time coming from a long throw and a header attempt from Patricio Zapata that hit the left woodwork. Moments later, Billy Lawrence settled into a free kick just outside the Huskies' 18-yard box, with his attempt missing the bottom left corner.

Bloomsburg looked to kick itself back into gear and had its sights set on the counter-offensive. Quaid Molino (Charleston, S.C./Wando (S.C.)) and Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) were at the point of the efforts, but the two were unable to link up in the early moments of the second half. 

The Huskies' clearest chance at a goal came in the 64th minute from a free kick. Theo Jackson (Elmore, Ohio/Woodmore), deep in the Bloomsburg's defensive end, sent a long ball centrally into the Bald Eagles' 18-yard box. Breaking free among the pack was freshman Tye Maser (Farmingdale, N.J./Howell), as the midfielder leapt and headed forward an attempt at the net that was caught cleanly by Lock Haven's Beck. 

The last scoring threat of the game came with under two minutes to play as the Huskies sought to replicate their efforts from Thursday. Creeping up from his defensive position, Seth Goins (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) stepped into a lofting ball with his right foot. Sam Blumberger (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) rose above his defender and headed down a pass to Sitler lurking at the top of the box. The pair could not repeat their combination, as Sitler's right-footed hit sailed above the crossbar for the final shot of the match.

Numbers of Note:
0 - While the series is often competitive, it is more often decisive. The 0-0 result of Saturday's contest is the first game between the Huskies and Bald Eagles without a goal since a 0-0 draw at Lock Haven in 2022. 

1 - Several players for Bloomsburg got to experience some career firsts in the contest. Sitler and Maser each garnered their first collegiate starts. Additionally, Finn Garner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), Goins, and Owen Reager (Cornwall, Pa./Cedar Crest) each made their collegiate debuts on Saturday.

On the Horizon:
The Bloomsburg men's soccer team turns its attention to Wednesday, September 10, and a road trip to New Jersey for a 3:00 p.m. match against No. 8 Felician.