Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf) I Photo Gallery I Highlights I Johnson Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS - Numerous times, the IUPUI bench seemed ready to erupt as the Jaguars repeatedly built quality scoring chances against Detroit Mercy on a very autumn-like Saturday afternoon (Sept. 22) at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. However, the Jaguars were unable to get a shot past UDM Marina Manzo as IUPUI played the Titans to a double overtime, scoreless draw on the second weekend of league play. 

"I'm definitely proud (of the shutout)," head coach Chris Johnson said. "I thought we did a good job of keeping them in front of us most the day. We had a great play by Bri Denny in the first overtime, where she came in and made a game saving tackle at that point in time. Other than that, we didn't give them too many good looks at the goal. I thought defensively Natalie McNally stepped in and won a lot of balls before plays got really dangerous. Jenna and Jill did a good job on the outsides and it was good play all around from a defensive standpoint for sure."

IUPUI (2-6-3, 0-1-1 HL) outshot Detroit Mercy 21-11 overall and 10-0 in overtime, while not allowing a corner kick for 110 minutes.

However, the scoreboard didn't lie, leaving the Jaguars winless in league play. From a possession standpoint, head coach Johnson's club got what it wanted for much of the day and defended well, keeping things clean in front of junior Sophia Lipka, who garnered her 14th career shutout. However, the Jaguars' season-long inability to get a finish continued to be the story. 

"I'd say today we were about 99 percent of where we need to be. That last one percent is going to be the hardest one to get," Johnson said. "As we continue to create these opportunities, I think that it looks up for us. I think the future is bright, but we've got to find somebody that's going to put the ball away and we need to have a ball put away."

Denny thwarted Detroit Mercy's (3-4-3, 0-1-1 HL) best scoring chance of the day with a huge sliding tackle of Rachel Russo in the 93rd minute before she could get a clean shot off against Lipka. That was easily the Titans' best opportunity, although IUPUI dominated overtime from there on out. Sophomore Miranda Ricks nearly ended it in the 97th minute by flaring a shot over Manzo and in the second overtime, Valentine Pursey and Jessica Flores got quality looks as well. Sophomore Jessi Cowen helped extend a possession with a header at Manzo in the final minute, but the Jaguars' fourth and final corner kick of the match went by the boards as well. 

Manzo finished with 11 saves in the draw while Lipka made just three saves and none in the final 41 minutes of the contest. 

Junior Emma Chambers attempted a team-high six shots, including a right-footed drive in the 54th minute the flew just over the bar. Pursey and Flores had five shots each and both Ricks and Elizabeth Bueckers had two apiece. 

Lipka lowered her goals against average to 1.43 and upped her save percentage to .768 on the season. 

IUPUI will return to action with a midweek Horizon League contest at UIC on Wednesday night (Sept. 26) at 7:00 p.m. Central (8 Eastern).