NEW LONDON, Conn.  -  USCGA Family Weekend brought an incredible atmosphere to Nelson W. Nitchman Soccer Field on Friday night. Coast Guard cadets and their parents filled the stands for a NEWMAC match-up between the Academy's women's soccer team and the visiting Babson Beavers, and those in attendance bore witness to a competitive game which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Coast Guard move to 1-5-2 with the result; Babson moves to 2-3-3, with the ending being their third straight tie. The Beavers will advance their conference schedule in their next match vs. Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday, Oct. 2nd at 3:30 PM. The Engineers are 4-2-2 so far this season and will have a match at Salve Regina on Saturday at noon before taking on Babson.

Coast Guard was more selective with their shots throughout the match-up than their visitors, tallying nine shots to the Beavers' 17 by the time the final whistle sounded. Seven of Babson's shots were on-target, but all of those attempts were either caught or deterred by Emily Scharnitzky (Charleston, S.C.). The senior goalkeeper made her seventh start in as many games this season and missed her season high by one save. The shutout performance brings her total saves this Fall up to 34 and her save rate up to 0.739%.

Besides Scharnitzky, the Bears had six players who spent the entirety of the match on the pitch. Junior forward Mia Forti (Madison, Conn.) was the most aggressive of the bunch, taking five attempts at scoring throughout the contest. Four of the other aforementioned six players made on attempt each during the night; senior defender Grace Flynn (Severna Park, Md.) made an attempt on incoming corner kick cross during the 77th minute which went out high and junior midfielder Tara Jessen (Signal Mountain, Tenn.), the team's leader in goals scored this season, had one that went out top right. First-year Isabella Brittian (Woodbridge, Va.) played the most time out of anyone off the bench for Bears at 40 minutes.

Both teams displayed physical defense throughout, with each getting called for three yellow cards; four of those cards were awarded in the second half. Overall, Coast Guard was called for more common fouls (14) than their opponents (8), with both teams tying in calls during the first half with six apiece. It was also frustrating game on offense for the Beavers, who were called offside 12 times during the match when it seemed as though they had a potential breakaway.

Coast Guard women's soccer will be back at it again on Wednesday, October 2nd, in arguably their most important and anticipated game of the season. The Bears will host U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in their annual SPARS Game, which is played to recognize honor the legacy of the first woman reservists in Coast Guard history. The Mariners are off to a 4-1-2 start this season and will have faced Purchase College on Saturday at noon before taking on the Bears.