MSOC opens BIG EAST play with a draw at Creighton

Sunday, September 18

Omaha, NE

6:30 PM

University of Connecticut

2-3-1, 0-0-1

Creighton University

3-1-3, 0-0-1

UConn

Creighton

Photo by: Clarus Multimedia Group

9/18/2022 11:36:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – The UConn men's soccer team settled for a 1-1 draw Sunday to the Creighton Blue Jays at Morrison Stadium. The match took over 24 hours to complete as lightning and hail showers caused the game to be temporarily suspended until Sunday evening.

This match originally started on Saturday night in front of a large home crowd at Morrison Stadium. Creighton scored an early goal in the 8^th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Play was stopped shortly after in the 13^th minute due to lightning strikes in the area of the stadium. The match would not resume until 24 hours later on Sunday evening.

UConn came out strong in the resumption of play creating multiple chances in the final third. In the 19^thminute Frantz Pierrot had a shot inside the Bluejays box that sailed just over the crossbar. Pierrot got another opportunity just one minute later in front of goal and he buried his second chance of the game to tie the game at one. Pierce Bateson played a perfectly weighted through ball on goal to Scott Testori whose shot was kick saved by the Creighton goalkeeper. Pierrot was right there for the follow-up rebound to knot the game up. This is Pierrot's second goal of the season.

The Huskies continued to put pressure on the Creighton defense and the game began to open up with both teams creating quality chances on goal. UConn's goalkeeper Michael Stone came up with a big save in the 25^th minute. The first half finished tied at one with both teams having three shots on goal going into the break.

Most of the play in the first 15 minutes of the second half was played in the middle third of the field with both teams searching for a goal. In the 59^th minute Mateo Leveque swung in a dangerous free kick, but Pierrot missed the ball which went out for a goal kick. UConn had another great chance in the 69^th minute, as Eli Conway broke off to a two versus one breakaway, but he couldn't connect his pass to his open teammate Okem Chime in front of goal.

In the 83^rd minute the Huskies created a great chance off a quick restart as Testori won a free kick in the midfield that was taken quickly by Søren Ilsøe. Junior Kai Griese swung in another dangerous cross that was loose in the box, but a UConn player couldn't get on the end of it.

Both teams had chances to win the game with set pieces in the final two minutes of the match. Creighton won a free kick in the 89^th minute just outside of UConn's penalty box. Stone once again came up with another big save to keep the game tied. The Huskies won a free kick in the 90^th minute in the Creighton final third. Leveque swung in a dangerous ball that was headed just over the Bluejays crossbar by Testori.

Up Next:

UConn will travel to Dartmouth Tuesday, September 20^th for a 7:00 pm kickoff in Hanover, New Hampshire.