Northeastern women’s soccer (1-5-4, 0-2-1 CAA) tied the Drexel Dragons (2-2-8, 1-0-2 CAA) 0-0 in its third conference game of the season. Both teams had threatening opportunities on goal, but solid defense and goalkeeping kept the game scoreless.

The Huskies started the match with successful possession, sending dangerous balls across the box and keeping it in Drexel’s half. Northeastern earned two corners within the first five minutes but did not convert either into a goal. 

In the fourth minute, senior forward Lauren Ahles had a breakaway down the right sideline, sending a ball in to sophomore forward Lughano Nyondo for a one-touch shot on goal. Nyondo hit it toward the bottom center of the net, but it was saved by sophomore goalkeeper Sammy Widnick. 

Drexel started to connect well in the following minutes, cutting dangerously around Northeastern’s defense but failing to get a shot off. By the 10th minute, play was moving back-and-forth quickly between halves in an evenly-matched battle for possession. 

In the 17th minute, a foul on senior forward and captain Maggie Cochran resulted in a free kick for the Huskies taken by freshman defender Ava Gialanella. The ball ricocheted at the top of the box until senior midfielder and captain Lauren Dupont found Nyondo out wide; Nyondo then took a shot but hit it over the crossbar. 

Drexel counterattacked quickly off of the goal kick, and senior midfielder Maggie Hall sent a shot curling toward the far post, but junior goalkeeper and captain Eliza Teplow dove to catch it. Four minutes later, junior defender Annie Clapp sent in another shot from outside the box, which went wide and was scooped up by Teplow. 

In the 24th minute, Nyondo had a promising header in the box, but it went over the crossbar once again. In the 32nd minute, sophomore midfielder Adriana Salzano took a free kick for the Dragons, launching it toward the top of the box, but the Huskies cleared it out. Drexel took another free kick immediately after, which soared toward the goal but went out for a goal kick. 

With six minutes left in the half, the Dragons won a corner, which found Salzano for a header on goal before Teplow dove to deflect it out for another corner. The second corner was cleared by Northeastern.

Four minutes later, sophomore forward Cam Schuler had a shot, which Teplow jumped to tap out over the crossbar for a corner. The corner sailed high and center right back to Teplow.

Teplow restarted the play, and the final few minutes of the half timed out uneventfully, sending the teams into halftime at a 0-0 tie. 

Drexel had more dangerous shots on goal in the first half than Northeastern, but key saves from Teplow kept the Huskies in the game. Northeastern went into the second half looking to create more opportunities offensively and prevent the Dragons from converting their chances on goal. 

In the 46th minute, a foul on Ahles won the Huskies a free kick. Senior defender Sabrina Araujo-Elorza took the kick and shot on goal, but just missed the upper right of the frame. Two minutes later, freshman midfielder Olivia Penn rocketed a shot toward the top right of the net, but Widnick hit it out.

Drexel responded quickly with a ball into junior forward Liv Brocious, who faced up one-on-one against Teplow. Teplow pushed forward and reacted quickly to block her shot. The deflection fell to junior midfielder Nia Chinapoo, who hit the ball high and wide for a goal kick.

The Dragons picked up momentum after this chance, continuing to put  high pressure on Northeastern’s defense to keep play in the Huskies’ defensive third. In the 57th minute, junior defender Jess Castorina took a shot that went just over the crossbar. Four minutes later, Clapp took a low, driven shot on goal that was saved by Teplow.

In the 69th minute, the Huskies pressed forward, and Cochran had a shot from the top of the box. Widnick dove to deflect it out for a corner. The corner went out on the opposite sideline for a goal kick.

Four minutes later, a foul on Nyondo earned the Huskies a free kick just outside the box. Nyondo put the kick on goal but hit it over the frame.

In the 76th minute, a Drexel free kick floated into the box and skimmed the head of freshman defender Reese Power, but it went out for a goal kick. The Dragons took another free kick two minutes later, which Northeastern cleared forward. 

With seven minutes left, Cochran had a breakaway and was fouled by Salzano, who received a yellow card. Nyondo took the resulting free kick, which flew past the players in the box but bounced just wide of the left post.

Both teams picked up the intensity in the final five minutes of the game, each seeking a last-minute goal to clinch the win. 

A free kick in the final minute sent the Huskies running forward. The kick ended up at the feet of Cochran near the goal but was cleared by Drexel. With this final opportunity, the game concluded in a 0-0 draw. 

With the halfway point of the CAA season approaching, the Huskies will hit the road to face the Hofstra Pride (3-1-7, 0-0-3 CAA) Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.