Boston College women’s soccer traveled to Berkeley on Sunday afternoon, as it played its second of three-straight away games.
Coming in as underdogs against the Golden Bears (6-1-6, 2-0-2 Atlantic Coast), the Eagles (4-3-5, 0-2-2 ACC) held firm for a 0-0 tie in their fourth ACC match of the season.
Shots were few and far between on the overcast, northern Californian day, as the Eagles and Golden Bears each managed a similar number of shots, putting up 12 and 11, respectively.
Scoring opportunities were equally hard to find as each team took four shots on goal, with BC’s being taken by Emily Mara, Bella Douglas, Sophie Reale, and Sophia Lowenberg.
Despite the equal number of shots on goal, the Eagles found themselves on the defensive for much of the game, especially throughout the second half with Cal dominating possession.
The Eagle’s defensive effort was led by lights-out play from goalie Olivia Shippee, who had a strong showing, saving all four of the Golden Bears’ shots on goal.
Cal’s closest would-be scoring moment came at the 16:43 mark as Golden Bear, Lumi Kostmayer drilled a shot that would have reached the top-right corner of the net had it not been intercepted by Shippee’s leaping save.
The Eagles’ defense also played a pivotal role in the tie, clearing out many Cal attempts before it could even make its way to Shippee.
As the game wore on, both teams became increasingly desperate for the go-ahead goal that would secure three points in the ACC standings.
The game also grew increasingly physical with time, and BC was penalized with three yellow cards, two of which came in the second half.
However, the two teams came together as BC players and fans alike joined the Golden Bears in sporting the color orange as part of Cal’s MS Awareness Game.
After a 2-0 loss to Stanford the previous Thursday, the tie at Cal will help the Eagles build momentum as they continue the hunt for their first ACC victory.