Trojans, Skyhawks Battle To Scoreless Draw in Home Opener

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock and UT Martin battled to a 0-0 double overtime draw on a hot and humid afternoon at the Coleman Sports Complex Sunday afternoon in the Trojans' home opener. Little Rock improves to 1-0-1 on the season, notching its third-straight unbeaten result at home, dating back to 2020.
 
"I thought in the first half we were really pure, and credit to UT Martin, who knocked the ball around really well, said head coach Mark Foster. "They looked like they were outworking us, especially in the midfield area for about 30 minutes, and that really bothered me. From that point on, I thought we were brilliant. We showed maturity to grind our way into the game, and it shows that even though this is a young group, they are maturing and figuring things out. I'm very encouraged by that."
 
On paper, both Little Rock and UT Martin played a very evenly matched tilt, and those results showed on the field. Both teams ended the game with 11 total shots, including five on goal for the Skyhawks and four for the Trojans. UT Martin committed 11 fouls to the Trojans' 10, with Little Rock holding a 7-6 edge in corner kicks.
 
UT Martin came out the aggressor with three shots in the opening 17 minutes, compared to just one for Little Rock, including one on goal. Sofia Karlholm put the first shot on net for the Trojans in the 14th minute from the bottom center, followed by shots from Bergros Asgeirsdottir (28th minute) and Maddy Peake (40th minute).
 
Little Rock upped the tempo in the second half, putting a pair of shots on net in the opening eight minutes from Karina De Paoli and Mariella Stephens. After the Skyhawks controlled the tempo during a good portion of the second half, Little Rock went on the offensive over the final 14 minutes of regulation, registering five shots compared to just one for UT Martin, including an opportunity with less than a minute remaining when Skylar Garner had a chance on the left side of the post that went wide.
 
Both teams then battled over the final 20 minutes of overtime, registering a shot each and ending with the 0-0 draw.
 
"I think the draw was the fair result, but if anyone was going to win it, I thought it would be us, Foster said. "We were creating the better chances. We had Maddy (Peak)'s header off the top of the cross bar, Skylar (Garner)'s chance off the back post, and were making opportunities off the corners. I thought they had the advantage in the first half, and we had it in the second. When both coaches feel they should have won the game, which I'm sure their coach does, a draw is probably a fair result."
 
Goalkeeper Saskia Wagner recorded the fifth shutout of her Little Rock career, recording five saves in 110 minutes of action. Under head coach Mark Wagner, it was Little Rock's 25th shutout since the start of the 2018 season, and the eighth 0-0 double overtime draw. The Trojans are now 3-4-3 all-time against the Skyhawks.
 
"I was pleased with the whole team's effort. A lot of players got minutes, and it was just a grind all day. That is a UT Martin team that regularly wins their conference, goes to the national tournament and is up there with the top half of the teams in our league. So to be able to match them and fight them is a great preparation for conference."
 
Little Rock returns to action Friday, August 27, making the trip to Itta Bena, Mississippi, for a 6 p.m. showdown with Mississippi Valley State. The Trojans then return home for a 7 p.m. opening kick against Central Arkansas on Sunday, August 29 in the Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Governor's I-40 Showdown.
 
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