Sep 19, 2017 3 min read

MONONGAHELA – After 100 minutes, neither Belle Vernon nor Ringgold could find the back of the net as the rivals finished Tuesday night’s key Section 3-AAA boys soccer match in a 0-0 tie.

“We had some chances and so did they,” Ringgold coach Steve Persaud said. “We need to get some work in on shooting, but this was an even soccer match.”

Belle Vernon coach Rob Miele agreed.

“We had chances, and so did they, but it wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “Our guys are exhausted and some of them played all 100 minutes.”

Belle Vernon finished the match with 17 shots while Ringgold had 16.

Ringgold remains undefeated in Section 3-AAA at 2-0-2 and 3-2-2 overall. Belle Vernon is in third place in the section with a 2-1-1 mark. The Leopards are 5-1-1 overall.

The first shot on goal did not happen until Ringgold senior Eli Schoedel took it with 27:27 to play in the first half.

Cam Guess, the Belle Vernon sophomore filling in at goalkeeper, made the save by knocking the ball over the net. He saved all three shots on goal by Ringgold in the half.

Ringgold senior Christian Egan placed a shot on Guess a little more than a minute later, at the 26:25 mark, but he punched the ball away from the net.

The Rams were in control of play at the time, but it shifted in favor of the Leopards.

Belle Vernon junior Markello Apodiakos recorded the Leopards’ first shot with 25:50 to play in the half, but Ringgold goalkeeper Travis Yahnite made a diving save.

While the Rams had four shots on goal in the first half and five overall, the Leopards put all three of their shots on goal with Yahnite saving each of them.

Schoedel had a chance to give the Rams the lead with 31:46 to play, but he blasted a wide-open shot high and to the right of the goal.

Each team controlled play at various points in the second half, and Schodel again had a chance to win the match.

Ringgold played the ball into Belle Vernon’s zone, and Schoedel got around the right side of the defense. He drilled a hard shot toward the goal, but Guess made the save with only 31 to go in regulation.

Apodiakos had the best chance to score in the first overtime, and he put a shot on goal with 1:24 to play. Yahnite made the stop on the shot and the match went into the second overtime.

Belle Vernon’a Jackson Guess had the first shot on goal in the second overtime as he had a free kick from 25 yards with 3:57 left. But the senior hit the ball inches above the crossbar.

Neither team had another shot, and both coaches talked about the play in the net as Yahnite finished with nine saves and Guess 10.

“Each team had chances but both keepers made some solid saves,” Miele said. “That is what happens when players step up in big games.”

“Both keepers played well,” said Persaud. “Travis made some solid saves and so did Guess.”