LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The defenses were on full display at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium as Stetson and Bellarmine played to a scoreless draw Saturday night.
 
"We have to be more dangerous on the attack," head coach Emmett Rutkowski said "We had what seemed like zero shots on goal. So in a game where we controlled maybe 70 percent of the possession but we can't do anything with it was our problem. We played into Bellarmine's game plan, which they're really comfortable defending. We got a shut out on the road, but our goal is an ASUN championship, and we need to be a top-two seed. At the end of the day, we need to win and now we need some help if we want to host [in the postseason]."
 
Stetson moves to 3-2-5 overall, 2-1-2 in ASUN play while Bellarmine (6-3-2, 2-2-1) has its four-game win streak ended.
 
Both defenses kept chances limited as the teams combined for 12 shots total over the 90 minutes. Three of those were on goal, two from the Hatters.
 
In the limited chances, the Hatters forced two saves out of BU goalkeeper Matthew Brozovich. Daniel Wintermeier turned a cross toward goal with his head, but power dropped off because the Hatter defender was at an awkward angle, and Gabriel Toro tried to fool the keeper near post, as Brozovich dropped into a kick save.
 
The second half Cesar Mata capped off what looked like the go-ahead goal in the 74th minute. A counterattack after the ball struck Charles Ahl and deflected forward to Luis Lara Delgado put the home side on uneven footing. A cross dropped behind the back four to Mata who took one touch and beat the goalie on the far post. As Mata turned to celebrate he saw the offside flag raised.
 
Following the Mata close call, both teams shored up the defensive end at the draw came to fruition 16 minutes following the chance.
 
Stetson has a quick turnaround with a match at Tampa facing South Florida Wednesday evening with kickoff at 7 p.m.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.