COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's soccer team closed out the weekend with a defensive struggle as they battled Montana State University Billings to a 0-0 draw on Sunday afternoon at Mountain Lion Stadium.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: UCCS 0, MSU Billings 0
Records: UCCS (1-0-1, 0-0 RMAC), MSU Billings (1-1-1, 0-0 GNAC)
Facility: Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions lead the all-time series with a 9-2-2 record
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In what would turn out to be a defensive struggle throughout, the Mountain Lions tested MSU Billings goalkeeper Georgios Theodoulidis early and often as Kolby Raineri fired a shot on goal just two minutes into the match which was deflected for Theodoulidis' first of seven saves on the day. UCCS continued to attack in Yellowjacket territory, recording a pair of shots from Sybren Russell and Kaydon Zamora-Reeves in the fourth minute, both of which were off target.
• The Mountain Lions would rack up nine shots in the first half, three on goal, but were unable to find the net. On defense, UCCS managed to hold MSU Billings without a shot in the final 32 minutes of the half.
• The defensive clash continued into the second half, as both teams struggled to get anything going offensively. The Mountain Lions would threaten in the 48^th minute when a UCCS free kick led to a header from Nic Grotle near the goal, but the shot was deflected by the MSU Billings back line.
• In the 70^th minute, Yellowjacket's all-conference defender Luca Battistotti received his second yellow card of the game, resulting in his ejection and forcing MSU Billings to play down a man for the remainder of the game.
• UCCS continued to pepper the goal in the final 20 minutes of regulation, firing off nine shots toward the Yellowjacket's goal, but were again unable to convert, pushing the match into overtime.
• In the first overtime period, the Mountain Lions best chance to score the game-winning goal came in the 94^th minute when Raineri fired a liner to bottom right corner of the goal that was saved by Theodoulidis.
• Neither team would generate much pressure in the second overtime period as the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME 

• The Mountain Lions were not short on opportunities as they out shot the Yellowjackets 26-7 while putting eight of their 26 shots on goal.
• 11 different players recorded shots for the Mountain Lions, led by Raineri (6), Adin Schwenke (5) and Luke Sussex (3).
• Andreas Kokoska played the entire 110 minutes in goal, holding the Yellowjackets without a score and recording two saves.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE 

• The 0-0 draw was the first for the Mountain Lions since the 2017 season against CSU Pueblo.
• Raineri has paced the Mountain Lions in back-to-back games, recording six shots in both contests.
• There were 11 cards issued in the match, nine of which were called on MSU Billings. 

  
UP NEXT 
UCCS will head out on their first road trip of the season as they battle Rockhurst University in Kansas on Friday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. (MT).
 
  
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.