For 110 minutes, the rain drizzled off and on at Engelmann Field, but the score remained the same.
The Golden Eagles tied the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers Wednesday after neither team capitalized on scoring chances throughout regulation and two overtime periods.
"It was a little bit slippery and windy," said senior defender Sarah Uyenishi. "But at the end of the day, we've got to put the ball away."
Marquette outshot the Panthers 7-0 in overtime and 18-7 in the entire game, a stat that can be taken as both a positive and a negative.
On one hand, the Golden Eagles failed to take advantage of several scoring opportunities.
On the other hand, the defense effectively shut down the UWM attack for most of the day.
"Our team defense was excellent," said head coach Markus Roeders. "We got into a flow for a while where we attacked them more than they did us."
Helping both the attack and the defense was the return of seniors Lindsay Michuda and Courtney Sinsky.
Both players have been battling injuries this season and had missed some playing time in the past week.
"It was nice to have experienced seniors back in the game for us," said sophomore goalkeeper Laura Boyer.
Neither player started the game, but both made significant contributions coming off the bench in the first half.
More importantly, both players made it through the game without worsening their respective injuries.
"I felt great," Sinsky said. "It was wonderful to be back out on the field."
Boyer may have reaped the most benefit from the return of Michuda and Sinsky, as well as the stellar play from the rest of her defense.
On a day in which the rain never quite could decide whether it wanted to fall or not, the Golden Eagles' goalkeeper also had to deal with the jeers of a rowdy UWM cheering section seated directly behind her net for the first half and one overtime period.
"I thought it was funny actually," Boyer said. "I could hear the taunting, but I just kept focusing on the game."
Boyer made three saves in posting her third shutout in six games this season.
This time, however, Marquette's defensive efforts were matched, as UWM goalkeeper Erin Kane posted a shutout of her own.
"It's disappointing because we had opportunities (to score)," Uyenishi said. "But we didn't lose."
At 4-0-1, the women's soccer team is off to its best start ever in the 13-year history of the program.
This weekend, the Golden Eagles will travel to Bloomington, Ind., where they will compete in the inaugural Hoosier Classic.
On Friday, Marquette will face Xavier (2-2), followed by a Sunday matinee versus Miami (Fla.) (3-1).
"We held our own today; we just couldn't get our shots to fall," Sinsky said. "All we can do now is take our momentum into the next game."
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 8, 2005.