TYLER, TEXAS – It was yet another close match between UT Tyler and #21 St. Mary's on Wednesday night at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex, but neither team could break the seal on the goal, and they played to a 0-0 draw.
 
For the first time all season the Patriots were outshot by a margin of 17-10, but the shots on goal category was dead even at 5-5. That offensive pressure came early for the Rattlers, forcing keeper Mathias Eriksen to make his first save of the night just five minutes into the contest.
 
At the 21 minute mark, Eriksen stepped up big again, this time diving to his right to stop a well struck shot from the Rattlers. Another save came five minutes later as the Rattlers seized momentum in the contest.
 
In the 33^rd minute, the Patriots finally grabbed their first shot on goal attempt as Nolan Giles delivered a good low shot to the left corner that Andre Schlaefli was just able to deflect out of bounds for a Patriots corner.
 
The Rattlers would force Eriksen to make one more save in the first half with just two minutes remaining. In the half, the Rattlers posted an 11-2 advantage in shots and a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal.
 
UT Tyler has shown to be a second half team for much of the season, and tonight was no different. Just seven minutes in, Rodrigo Mendes took a deflected pass that was up in the air and hit a well struck shot that bounced awkwardly but was just saved by Schlaefli.
 
#21 St. Mary's got their one and only shot on goal in the second half just five minutes later, but Eriksen was there to make another tough stop as he fell to his left and knocked it out of play.
 
From then on, it was all UT Tyler offense as Brajdi Cekrezi and Bryan Rivas-Guzman each got a shot on goal and the Patriots totaled five shots in a five minute stretch from the 63^rd minute to the 68^th minute.
 
UT Tyler continued to play suffocating defense on the Rattlers, allowing just two shots over the final 20 minutes of the game in an attempt to give their offense chances.
 
Davis Mays was able to get his head on a corner kick in the 82^nd minute, but it was just wide of the net. In the 88^th minute, Thato Meko took a deep shot after Schlaefli left his line and was caught out, but the shot went just wide of the right post and the Patriots settled for a 0-0 draw.
 
The Patriots remain undefeated this season as their record moves to 4-0-1. They also remain unbeaten inside the friendly confines of Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex as their record at home moves to 3-0-1.
 
Mathias Eriksen with his five saves on the night now moves into fifth all time in the UT Tyler career saves category with 103.
 
Next up for UT Tyler will be another non-conference battle against an LSC opponent as they host UT Permian Basin in their final non-conference home game. That contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 17.