ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – In a gritty defensive showdown at Olson Field, Eastern Men's Soccer fought to a scoreless draw against visiting Ursinus on Tuesday night. Behind another strong performance from goalkeeper Ty Bleiler, the Eagles notched their second consecutive shutout, while Zach Sievert showcased his versatility by anchoring the defense despite being known for his offensive prowess.

Bleiler, solid and steady throughout the night, made seven saves and showed excellent awareness in the box. Whether punching away dangerous crosses or charging off his line to shut down attacks, the senior keeper controlled his area with confidence.

Sievert was a defensive force on set pieces, especially during Ursinus' six corner kicks. Time and again, he rose above the crowd to head balls clear and deny the Bears any quality looks on goal.

Eastern's back line—Adedotun Adelekan, Kade Seip, Steven Fajardo, and Inigo Gullon Santana—held firm all night. Santana, called up from the reserve team just days ago, played the full 90 minutes at left back and impressed with poise and creativity, moving the ball cleanly through the midfield and up the sideline. Seip and Fajardo provided steady coverage and smart clearances, keeping Ursinus from generating any real threats in the final third.

The shot tally was nearly even, with Ursinus holding a narrow 14-12 edge, but true scoring chances were hard to come by on both sides. Eastern created several opportunities off restarts, but couldn't find the finishing touch. The Eagles' best look came from a João Tarabal free kick just outside the 18-yard box, which curled just wide of the post.

Tarabal and Sievert each recorded three shots, while Fajardo added two of his own.

"Neither team's goalkeeper was called to make big saves and neither team generated dangerous chances from open play," Eastern Head Coach Luca Mellor said after the match. "That being said, our boys battled defensively to keep a second clean sheet in a row, so that's progress." 

Now 1-3-1 on the season, Eastern returns to Olson Field this Saturday at 11:00 AM, when they host the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.