Deadlock between Engineers and Brewers ends in scoreless game

Neither Rensselaer nor Vassar could find the back of the net in their game last Wednesday, despite some close calls and bold moves from the goalkeepers.

The first half of the game was held down by the defense of both teams. A total of five shots on goal in the first fifteen minutes of play resulted in just one save for Engineer Sierra Skelding, with the rest being stopped by both Rensselaer and Vassar’s defense. Engineers Sophia Byron, Hannah Krieg, and Greta Heldman were hard at work attacking Vassar’s offense and preventing their shots on goal.

Despite this, Vassar still led in shots at half time, with six to Rensselaer’s three. Twice, the Engineers’ goal was clear for the Brewers to take a shot, but both times they were blocked by Rensselaer’s defense. Vassar’s defense responded with force, holding the Engineers to just three shots on goal in the first half and allowing just one save for Vassar goalkeeper Laura Shea.

The second half included a yellow card for Vassar’s Jessica Bowman, with still no goals for either team. A tense faceoff almost saw action on the scoreboard, when substitute Engineer goalkeeper Megan Wampner rushed out of the goal for a one-on-one faceoff with Brewer Lucy Hart. Wampner overwhelmed Hart and stuffed the shot before Hart could take it. Aside from one last shot from Alice Crowley, this would mark the end of Vassar’s offensive attack, racking up only four shots in the second half.

The Engineers also saw a slowdown in offensive attacks, taking only two shots. One of these was a breakaway for Christina Ricci, who reached the Vassar goalie box before being taken down by Shea. Ultimately, both sides’ defense proved too strong, and the game remained scoreless by the end of the second half.

After the tie and a 3-0 loss to Ithaca on Saturday, the Engineers ended their season with a 7-6-3 record and 2-5-2 in the Liberty League, finishing eighth in the conference. The box score for this game can be found here.