SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The nationally ranked University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team battled to its first draw of the season on Friday night, playing Seton Hall to a 0-0 tie on the road.
 
David Howard was a force in the box for #21 Penn, tallying his second clean sheet of the season off a career-high five-save outing against the Pirates. The goalkeeper made his most crucial save of the game in the 87th minute, stopping a penalty kick from Augustin Resch to secure the draw.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Penn drew seven corner kicks in the match, with five coming from the first half, while Seton Hall tallied a pair.
 
*The entire 90 minutes was a scrappy battle as 11 fouls were drawn between the two teams, including a penalty on Penn.
 
*Seniors Oliver Pratt and Jack Wagoner attempted the Quakers' two shots on goal in the battle.
 
*Connor Dawson, Howard, Malachi Neal, and Pratt played the full 90 minutes.
 
*Joaquin Niehenke made his season debut against the Pirates coming off the bench for 51 minutes.
 
How It Happened
The first shot of the game came from the Pirates during the seventh minute, which keeper Howard scooped up to account for the first save of the night. A few minutes later, Penn was rewarded with a corner kick that the offense tried to capitalize on as Jack-Ryan Jeremiah slammed it towards the crease, but it soared right above the crossbar to keep the battle scoreless early.
 
During the 22nd minute, Michael Howard drew a foul off the Pirates' Giacomo Mana, resulting in a free kick from Patrick Cayelli that ultimately went above goalkeeper Matias Molina. The Red and Blue collected their second corner kick opportunity of the game in the 30th minute, with defender Pratt heading another shot at keeper Molina that was saved.
 
With less than ten minutes to go in the first half, SHU tallied back-to-back shots that were both misguided before keeper Howard had to make any saves. The final offensive opportunities of the first 45 minutes came from both teams as Seton Hall tallied a wide shot from in the 39th minute, followed by two-straight corner opportunities from Penn that Molina scooped up to end the half.
 
Both defenses continued to stand tall to open the second half, as the first shot of the period was not registered until the 58th minute, when senior Wagoner nearly slipped one past the Pirates' keeper.
 
Seton Hall almost broke the scoreless tie in the 68th minute with a shot from Hugo Gerbore, but a handball was called on the Pirates to keep the game even. Penn's best offensive opportunity in the game came from Erickson Sakalosky in the 74th minute, going wide on SHU's goalie to force the Pirates' defense to make the save in the box.
 
Senior Howard had a busy final 15 minutes of action, coming out of the net to stop Gerbore in the 76th minute, stopping Til Kauschke's corner kick in the 82nd, and grabbing Mans Saebbo's shot to keep Seton Hall off the board with time dwindling.
 
The biggest moment of the match came from a foul on junior Niehenke in the 87th minute that warranted a penalty kick for the Pirates. Luckily, Howard stood tall, stopping Resch's shot to stifle any comeback and allow the game to end in a 0-0 draw.
 
Up Next
The Quakers (1-0-1, 0-0 Ivy League) take the quick trip to Newark on Tuesday, Sept. 9, taking on Delaware at 7 p.m.