Wildcats Play to 0-0 Draw in Exhibition Tilt at Drake

8/19/2015 9:39:00 PM | Men's Soccer

DES MOINES, Iowa — Northwestern continued exhibition play on Wednesday night and while the defense continued the stellar played displayed last Sunday, the offense was unable to get on the board resulting in a 0-0 draw against Drake.

While head coach Tim Lenahan played three goalkeepers in the win over Schwaben AC Sunday, it was senior Zak Allen that started between the posts for the second-straight game Wednesday. Allen played all 90 minutes for the 'Cats, making six saves in posting the shutout.

"I felt we were a bit sluggish after traveling six hours today, but we played better in the second half," Lenahan said. "This was a very good preseason match for us as Drake played very well. We will continue this stretch with a very good Creighton team on Saturday. We're still putting the pieces together, but getting closer to the season with every step and we will know more about where we stand after Saturday."

The Bulldogs held a 12-7 advantage in shots in the contest, but Chicago's Big Ten Team was able to play a more even match in the final 45 minutes as both teams had five shots in the half. Northwestern finished the game with three shots on goal, one each by senior Cole Missimo, junior Jeffrey Hopson and sophomore John Moderwell.

Northwestern will play its final exhibition game on Saturday at Creighton. The Jays reached the NCAA Quarterfinals last season and are ranked No. 6 in the NSCAA Preseason Poll. The Wildcats open regular season play on Saturday, August 29 against Colgate at UIC's Flames Field.

Just For Kicks
Following 90 minutes of scoreless action, the Wildcats and Bulldogs played a 'fun' game of shootout. The Bulldogs claimed the "victory," 4-3 on penalty kicks, but it was who the 'Cats sent to take the shots that made for the fun. Each of the Wildcats three goalkeepers - Allen, sophomore Francisco Tomasino and freshman Robbie White - took penalty kicks. Tomasino was the lone keeper to convert.

Three Named Big Ten Players to Watch
In non game-action news, a trio of Wildcats were named 'Big Ten Players to Watch' earlier in the day. Seniors Layth Masri, Joey Calistri and Cole Missimo were recognized by the Big Ten Conference as the three Wildcats to watch entering the 2015 season. The Big Ten preseason coaches poll was also released with the Wildcats picked to finish sixth.

Freshman Gets the Starting Nod
As head coach Tim Lenahan continues to work towards a rotation of players for the upcoming season, true freshman midfielder Camden Buescher got his first crack in the starting lineup. Buescher was a four-year starter at St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio, leading his team to four sectional titles, three district titles and four conference championships while being named runner-up for Mr. Soccer in Ohio as both a junior and senior.

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