INDIANAPOLIS - The rematch of last year's NAIA National Championship game was nothing short of exciting, as No. 8 Marian women's soccer team holds No. 2 Spring Arbor to a 0-0 draw. Marian put up a hard-fought match, showing resilience the entire 90 minutes to hold the reigning champs to their first shutout of the season. 

Spring Arbor was the first to strike in the match, with the guest putting together six shots and four corner kicks in the first 16 minutes of action. Marian finally got into the grove in the 20th minute with a corner kick and a pair of shot attempts coming from Sophie Decker and Delaney Taylor. 

Although the Cougars led the Knights in shots and corner kicks, the final 18 minutes of the first half showed a different story with both teams going back and forth. In a chance to score the game's first goal at the 27th minute mark, SAU was denied as Mycheala Johnson grabbed her third save of the night. Marian and Spring Arbor traded shots in the final seven minutes, with Katie Koger having her attempt go wide and Johnson picking up the save on the other end of the pitch to keep the score locked at 0-0.

At the break, the Cougars were leading the Knights 8-3 in shots and 6-2 in corners with the scored tied at 0-0.

The start of the second half was quite the opposite of the first, as it was Marian kicking things off. The Knights fired off the first two shots, with a shot going wide and a save by the SAU keeper coming in the first nine minutes. Marian found another great attempt from Olivia Parmer in the 61st minute as she booted one that just skimmed the post. In the 62nd minute, Knights' fans were on the edge of their seat after a red card and foul on Spring Arbor happened in the box. Gretchen Mallin would step up to take the penalty kick, but was unable to convert as the All-American goalie denied the shot. Parmer found the ball at her feet after the bounce off from the goalie, but once again it was Blair Currie coming up big for her team. 

Both teams continued to go back and forth with possession holding fairly even the remainder of the match. Marian and Spring Arbor were both efficient on the offensive and defensive end, producing five shots each in the final 28 minutes. The Cougars fired off the game's final attempt at the 87:59 mark, but were unable to find back netting as the game would end in a 0-0 tie.

Both team's defenses proved to be an offensive stopper, with Johnson making seven saves on 14 shots attempted. Marian had 12 shots throughout the match, with Parmer leading the way with four. Decker, Koger, and Mallin each had two attempts, while Grace Crawford and Taylor had one. 

Marian will take on Bethel Saturday, October 14 at Bethel for a 2 p.m. matchup.



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