Seton Hall University
Princeton
Pirates and Princeton Play to Scoreless Draw
9/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
PRINCETON, N.J. - Seton Hall sophomore goalkeeper Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) finished with six saves at Princeton on Monday; earning her first career shutout as the Pirates and Tigers played to a scoreless draw for the second consecutive season.
The Hall (1-4-1) has now allowed just five goals in its first six outings of 2014 and halted a string of four-straight losses by a one-goal margin with its first tie of the fall.
Blackshear made just her third career start and fourth-ever collegiate appearance in the contest but responded by keeping a Princeton squad that returned four of its top scorers from last season off the board for 110 minutes. The West Orange native has stopped 19 of 22 (.864) shots faced since being inserted as a substitute during an August 29 matchup against Rutgers and ranks among the BIG EAST leaders with a 0.81 goals against average.
The sophomore keeper received support from what has been a consistently stingy defensive unit in quelling the first genuine Princeton threat of the match. In the 15th minute, Blackshear denied the initial point-blank effort off the foot of Tigers' senior forward Gabrielle Ragazzo before the follow-up chance from Alessia Azermahdi was blocked away.
Ragazzo's shot was the only one on target for either side over the first 45 minutes as the Pirates went into the break without having conceded a goal for the first time since a 2-0 season-opening victory at Marist.
Just over four minutes into the second frame, Seton Hall freshman Lauren Hall (Bridgewater, N.J.) got her head on the end of a ball, redirecting it towards goal but her effort flew over the bar. Blackshear was called upon again in the 51st minute when she turned away an attempt from Beth Stella, the first of four second half saves she would make to help force extra time.
The Pirates pressured Princeton early in the first overtime period, earning two corners in quick succession during the first three minutes of action. Princeton sophomore Tyler Lussi - who fired a game-high nine shots in the contest - came back with a headed effort of her own but could not land it on frame.
With the clock ticking down in the first extra stanza, sophomore Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) tested Princeton keeper Darcy Hargadon but the senior came up with the stop and a chance off the rebound for Maier was closed down by the Tigers defense.
Maier finished with a team-high three shot attempts for The Hall and leads the squad with 15 attempts through six matches.
The sixth and final save of the match for Blackshear came just over midway through the final period on a try by Lauren Lazo, ending what proved to be the final threat of the evening.
The draw was just the second in 12 all-time meetings between the two programs and followed a 0-0 tie last fall at Owen T. Carroll Field.Seton Hall will conclude a three-match road swing at Army on Friday. Start-time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
