X-Men, Tigers play to hard-fought scoreless draw

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) - The StFX X-Men and Dalhousie Tigers played to a hard-fought scoreless draw Sunday afternoon at Oland Stadium.

"It was a really tough, typical AUS game," X-Men head coach Graham Kennedy said after the game. "It was two teams not giving an inch."

The teams were scoreless at halftime in front of more than 500 fans in Antigonish.

"We had our opportunities, but we couldn't finish," X-Men defender Ryan Ashlee (Victoria, B.C.) said at the intermission.

In the opening 45 minutes, TigerS keeper TJ Leopold (Bedford, N.S.) made two diving saves against X-Men forward Mark Harpur (Calgary, Alta.). Freshman Kallen Heenan (Halifax, N.S.) also had a point-blank opportunity, but he couldn't get a shot away.

"We didn't put our chances away, especially in the opening half," Kennedy said.

Bezick Evraire (Ottawa, Ont.) had the best opening-half chance for the Tigers, but X-Men keeper Sam Hutchison (Victoria, B.C.) made a great sliding save on the shot from 20 yards. The veteran midfielder led the Tigers with three shots on goal.

Midfielder Michael Tait (Oakville, Ont.) led the X-Men with two shots on goal.

Hutchison made seven saves for the X-Men, while Leopold of the Tigers turned aside five shots.

The Tigers (2-1-2) return to action Wednesday, Sept. 24, when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies (1-3-2) at 7:15 p.m. The X-Men (2-1-2) will host the UNB Varsity Reds (4-0-1) Friday, Sept. 26 at Oland Stadium, beginning at 7: 15 p.m.

Source: StFX Sports Information