MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer team opened the Northeast Conference portion of the season with a scoreless draw at Robert Morris Sunday afternoon.
 
The Knights (4-3-1, 0-0-1 NEC) outshot the Colonials (2-6-2, 1-0-1 NEC) in the match, 21-17, and took seven of the eight shots in the two overtime periods. Many close tries for FDU, however, were just off the mark as the defense contained Robert Morris down the stretch. With the draw, FDU gained a point in the NEC standings.
 
Junior goalkeeper Jahmali Waite earned his first shutout of the season, making five saves in regulation. The shutout is the seventh of his career for the reigning first-team All-NEC goalkeeper. Redshirt senior Daniel Lasarte led the Knights with five shots in the match.

"The guys played hard and competed well," head coach Seth Roland said after the match. "We had at least a half dozen really good looks at goal but were unlucky not to finish one. Getting our first shutout of the year is a good feeling, and at least we earned a valuable away point."
 
Junior Diego Arribas took the first shot for the Knights two minutes into the game, and freshman Jared Dillon followed with another quick shot as FDU applied early pressure on the Colonial back line. Freshman Ville Ahola also fired a shot on goal in the ninth minute that required a leaping save by the Robert Morris keeper.
 
A fast-moving attacking sequence in the 12th minute provided junior Rocky Garretson a shot attempt that sailed high. Five minutes later, Waite made his first save of the afternoon, and the junior collected another save in the 30th minute to keep the Colonials off the scoreboard.
 
FDU's defense blocked two more RMU shots from reaching the net a minute later, and FDU countered with Lasarte gathering the ball downfield and firing a shot that was deflected out for a corner kick. The corner attempt, however, was headed out by the Colonials.
 
The Knights later earned a free kick opportunity with Ahola drawing a foul just outside the 18-yard box. Lasarte's initial shot off the free kick was blocked, and Arribas fired a second chance look to the right of the net. Both teams attempted 10 shots in the first half, but the squads entered halftime tied at 0-0.
 
Waite stopped another Robert Morris shot in the 56th minute, the first attempt of the second half for either team. Freshman Peter Kozlej lined FDU's first shot of the latter half wide left in the 64th minute, and a few minutes later, redshirt sophomore Adrian Barajas headed a ball off a free kick toward the net that the RMU goalkeeper saved.
 
With less than 10 minutes left in regulation, Waite rushed out of his stance and got a piece of a Colonials shot that hit off the crossbar, keeping the match scoreless after 90 minutes.
 
In the first overtime, the Knights created a good chance early, with an Arribas free kick finding the head of sophomore Anthony Herbert. The sophomore's flick shot, however, trickled wide left of the net. A few minutes later, Ahola connected with Lasarte for another header that went just high of the net.
 
FDU continued to supply pressure in their attacking half with Arribas also heading a shot, as the Knights dominated possession in the first overtime but were unable to convert on their chances.
 
The Knights kept pressing for a golden goal, making a nice attacking run in the second overtime that led to an Arribas shot that curled just over the top of the net with less than seven minutes left. Ahola tried two more shots in the final five minutes, but time ran out with the match still scoreless.
 
The Burgundy and Blue plays its final non-conference tilt of the season at home on Wednesday, October 2, against Iona at 7 p.m., before returning to NEC action on Sunday, October 6, at Saint Francis U.