ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team couldn’t find the back of the net, but was able to shutout No. 15 UCF to earn a 0-0 draw in double overtime on Sunday afternoon at the UCF Soccer Complex. Senior goalkeeper Stephanie Powers (Seffner, Fla./Armwood HS) finished with six saves to earn her third shutout of the season.

The tie is the first of the season for the Eagles who watched their record move to 5-3-1 to finish the non-conference season. No. 15 UCF moves to 5-1-2 on the season.

“I am very proud of the effort the team showed today,” said head coach Jim Blankenship. “The defense was solid in the back and Powers had some great saves today. “In overtime we had a couple of chances but give credit to their defense as well. “I am very pleased with how we finished our non-conference season and that kind of effort will go a long way towards being successful.”

Powers posted her 22^nd shutout of her career and is just seven away from tying the Atlantic Sun Conference record at 29.

In the second overtime, with less than a minute left, FGCU had a corner kick that redshirt junior Ashley Ciesielczyk (Oregon, Ohio./Clay HS) placed a header on goal that the UCF defense was able to clear to keep the game score-less.

In the second-half, both teams played well defensively as only five shots were registered between the two teams. The Eagles best chance came in the 75^th minute when junior forward Brittany Burt (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS/USF) had a break away but the Knight’s keeper Reis made the save.

In the first-half both teams had opportunities to break through but the score remained scoreless at half-time. FGCU’s keeper Powers came up big with four key saves to keep the Knights off the scoreboard. UCF’s leading goal scorer Tishia Jewell was denied three times by Powers in the first-half.

The Eagles’ best opportunity came in the 45^th minute when senior midfielder Brianna McCall (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS) had a shot on goal but the Knight’s keeper Reis made the stop. FGCU finished the first-half with four shots.

Six FGCU players played the entire 110 minutes, including the starting four defenders KC Correllus (Merritt Island, Fla./Satellite HS/Florida State), Kat Hunter (Safety Harbor, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic HS), Jennifer Crittenberger (Lighthouse Point, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons HS), and Ciesielczyk.   

FGCU returns home for the opening weekend of A-Sun conference action starting with North Florida on Friday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The Eagles finish the weekend by facing Jacksonville with the kick-off set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.

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