By Kate Harman
TowsonTigers.com

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Six games played. Six games decided by one goal or less.

For Towson's women's soccer team, playing in close games is something the Tigers have gotten used to. It was again the case when the Tigers (2-2-2) tied the Manhattan Jaspers (1-2-1), 0-0, in the opening game of the Navy Invitational.

Coming off a tough 1-0 loss against Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday, Towson played hard and at times, came up unlucky in a game that went into two overtime periods of 10 minutes each.

“We just came off the bus with no energy today and struggled early,” senior co-captain Samantha Young said of the team's play in the first half. “We thought the number one thing we needed to come out with in the second half was energy and that was what would change our game.”

The Tigers came out reinvigorated at the start of the second half, dominating play and possession by spreading the field out wide and making more runs towards goal.

“At halftime, we had talked about getting up in numbers because whenever we crossed the ball in the first half, no one would be there,” freshman forward Emily Banes said. “So in the second half, we were trying to switch the point of attack.”

This sense of urgency caused the Tigers to outshoot the Jaspers by 13-2 in the second half and created several outstanding scoring opportunities but never materialized into a goal.

“I think we weren't trying to force passes and we were just finding the open and easy ball,” Young said.

With 17 minutes left in the game, junior midfielder Annie Hillin almost repeated her last week heroics at Penn when she scored from 25 yards out when her blast went by Manhattan goalkeeper Kara Davis, but it nailed the left post.

Junior forward Kaysi Ward nailed a one timer with three minutes to go that just missed high.

Then with 10 seconds left in regulation, sophomore Jordan Luithle got her head on a corner kick that went high.

Towson continued its offensive diligence in the first overtime period by racking up corner kicks, shots towards the goal and scoring opportunities.

“We were able to really control the ball in the second half," Towson Coach Greg Paynter said. "But, we just weren't able to break down their defense.”

Staunch defense and another stellar game by junior goalkeeper Jocelyn Papciak helped the staff earn its third shutout of the season. The Tigers have let up just six goals in as many games.

“We've given up one goal in the last three games,” Paynter said. “I'll take those kinds of numbers.”

The Tigers will continue to compete in the Navy Invitational Sunday, when they face off against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at 12 noon. They do not play their first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game until September 24 when they will battle William & Mary at the Towson Center Soccer Complex.

“We have to come out ready to play offensively and defensively throughout the whole 90 minutes,” Young said. “Today, we didn't put two good halves together, so I think once we start doing that, we're going to be in good shape.”