Box Score
The Bruins and Rams ended the night as they began it as the two teams battled to a 0-0 draw on Thursday night in Columbia, South Carolina. "Both teams played very well tonight," Bruins Head Coach Jesse McCormick said. "It was a very good game."
The Bruins and Rams had met two weeks ago in Greenville, with the Bruins coming away with a 3-1 victory at Alumni Stadium. Since then, the Bruins had battled through the region playoffs, but came up short in the NCCAA DII South Region Championship match with a 2-1 loss in overtime to Trinity Baptist College.
As the team awaits news on the at large bid, the Bruins have two road matches to help the team stay fresh and focused. The Rams entered Thursday's match with a 5-12 record. In front of a spirited crowd, both teams took the pitch.
From the opening kickoff, both teams tried to assert their style of play as possession changed teams frequently in the first part of the match. Both teams played physical as fouls came often with several cautions being awarded. Still, the score remained locked at 0-0 despite chances for either team.
Near the midway point of the half, the Bruins were able to free up lanes for Jared Simmons and Jesse Rush, but Rams keeper Luke Brooks came up with several big saves to keep the match tied.
In the second half, both teams took their halftime adjustments to try to find their way into the scoring column. Each defensive line was up to the task as the back line of the Rams and Bruins refused to yield. The Bruins had several chances at corner kicks, but couldn't find a good opportunity to score. With just minutes remaining, Jesse Rush created space and fired a shot just wide as the two teams prepared for overtime tied 0-0.
As the first overtime period began, the Bruins came out strong as they looked to steal a victory on the road. Shots by Jesse Rush and Will Moy were each turned aside as the first overtime period ended.
With just 10 minutes left in the match, both teams balanced their offensive attack with keeping the opposition at bay. Despite several chances in the final frame, the Bruins and Rams couldn't find the back of the net as the final whistle ended the match in a 0-0 draw.
"We are taking some really positive steps forward," Coach McCormick said. "We had good possession and ball movement and just wanted to create a few more looks on their goal."
With the tie, the Bruins move to 6-9-1 on the season. Next up, the Bruins will play their final regular season match on the road Saturday as they travel to Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
