Flyers and Raiders Finish in Scoreless Tie

DAYTON (OH) -- The same offense that looked sharp and opportunistic on Friday night fell victim to another scoreless effort as Dayton and Wright State played to a 0-0 draw Sunday afternoon at Baujan Field. The Flyers, now 3-0-4, have given up just one goal all season but only have three wins to show for it. The Raiders are now 2-3-2.

The match started with both sides taking their time to gauge the talent of the opponent. After 15 minutes of knocking balls around, the teams settled in and began making plays. The Flyers slowly gained momentum as the half wore on, applying pressure in the offensive half of the field by finding forwards running into space near the touch lines. Several balls in the box and a pair of corner kicks weren't enough however as Wright State cleaned up loose balls very well inside their box. During other moments of attacking opportunity, the Flyers lost patience by taking ill-advised shots from long distance that were overly ambitious. As the half came to a close, the Flyers belted 14 shots to just three for the Raiders, but most of those chances were not as threatening as they should have been. Still, Dayton had the better of play in the first 45 minutes against a much-improved Wright State squad looking to beat the Flyers for the first time in many years.

What looked promising in the first half never carried over to the final 45 minutes however. The execution level was sub-standard and lacked both a sense of urgency and strong soccer IQ. Poor spacing became the real crutch however. As Flyer players moved forward with the ball, teammates did not exit the space and take defenders with them, clogging the lanes and bottle-necking any chance of making opportunities count. Forwards acting as targets were let down by poor service from the midfield that was shoulder-high rather than at the feet, allowing WSU defenders plenty of time to close in and redirect the ball away.

The best scoring chance of the afternoon came on a nice through ball to the far left side where Mandi Back made a far post run. Back ran onto the ball and placed a solid shot on goal, but couldn't cash in to put the Flyers on top.

On the other side, Dayton's defense played well. The Raiders had some chances of their own but couldn't solve Kathleen Beljan's outstanding play on the outside. She had one of her best performances yet, stepping forward to pick off balls and run down others one vs. one. Her speed and anticipation were at a high level and so too Kelsey Miller and Allison Giner helping her out defensively, but the strong play didn't rub off with teammates in the attacking half of the pitch.

Flyer goalkeeper Katherine Boone went unchallenged for most of the afternoon but did turn away WSU's most dangerous chances when assertive challenges from goal won loose balls against WSU strikers. Overall, Boone faced only eight shots on the day -- most of them routine.

As the second half continued, both sides became fatigued. The coaching staffs tried their best to spread the minutes around to have some lively bodies for possible overtime play. While the Flyers out-shot Wright State 6-0 in the two ten minute overtimes, most of them were dribblers in the box that never seriously threatened the net. That was the story line for most of the match as UD broke down with one or two touches left in a strong buildup, re-signing themselves to long-distance shots -- many not on frame -- when the frustration level became overwhelming. Better spacing and quicker play would have made a difference, along with the presence of midfielder Colleen Gibson who did not play again.

The Flyers finished the match with a 28-8 advantage in shots and 5-0 in corner kicks. Just seven shots were on frame.

It's not difficult to appreciate the performance level of the Flyer defense so far this year. After seven matches, the back line and goalkeeping has surrendered just one goal and posted six shutouts. If that stat is not leading the entire NCAA, it must be close. Nothing more can be asked of them, yet the Flyers enjoy just three wins in seven matches. The offense has been held scoreless in three of the last four matches -- matches where Dayton generated 87 shots and were heavy favorites. Without break-away speed up top, UD's goal scoring chances hinge upon strong communication, first touches, spacing, and hustle to the 50/50 challenges. A reliable scorer for three seasons, Mandi Back is not getting herself involved enough or digging out loose balls. The Flyers are generating corner kicks but not converting.

Dayton travels to nearby Oxford on Friday night for the final non-conference match of the season against Miami University. Game time is 5pm EDT.

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