It was about 12 minutes into the first half when Warrior Run got the ball outside of the 18-yard box down the right side of the field and the Defenders were hoping to send in a shot to the far left post. Warrior Run ripped a shot that looked great, but hit off the left post and bounced downward.

That loose ball took a bounce near the goal line and with a few Defenders coming to try and crash and tap in a shot, Montoursville keeper Abby Strassner quickly turned around and fell on the ball to prevent a possible early goal.

That head’s up play by Strassner was a huge moment in the game that kept Warrior Run from scoring an early goal and set the tone for what was to come: tough, physical, defensive soccer.

Montoursville and Warrior Run had some near chances on Tuesday night at Memorial Stadium in Montoursville, but no one put a ball into the back of the net en route to an exciting scoreless game through two overtime periods.

The game moves Warrior Run to 12-2-2 and Montoursville to 6-6-2 as the regular season slowly starts to wrap up with playoff implications at play.

“They’re always a tough team,” Warrior Run coach Rob Ryder said. “They always have a deep set and a good defense.”

“They have so much speed and skill and talent all over the field,” Montoursville coach Vic Gorini said. “We knew it would be a a really tough matchup for us.”

Strassner’s outstanding save was a highlight on a night where rain came and went, causing a slick ball and field. Her head’s up instincts to fall on the ball helped not only keep it scoreless, but prevented a huge goal from shifting momentum early in the game.

“That’s just Abby; she’s very athletic, very quick and has really good instincts,” Gorini said. “She’s just getting better and better every time we put her in there. She gets a little more confident each day.”

Warrior Run came out with aggressiveness to begin the game, owning the time of possession and not allowing Montoursville to record a single shot in the first 40 minutes. In the first half, the Defenders fired six total shots and kept Montoursville’s defense busy.

“We played pretty strong in the first half and got the ball up field,” Ryder said. “We only got a couple shots off, we wished we got a couple more off.”

Defensively, Montoursville did well in not allowing many easy looks at the goal or 1-v-1 opportunities. The Defenders recorded just one shot on goal from inside the 18 all game.

“With Myliee (Herr) and Kenna (Bennett), two seniors there at centerback, that certainly helps a lot. Our outside, they all just play really hard, they never give up on the play,” Gorini said. “We’re really proud of our defense, they hold it together and the key for us is we try to play defense all over the field and not let it get to our backs. But when it does, they usually figure it out. Abby in goal has been really solid and is really quick and can get to thinks quickly. They’re all still learning too. We feel we can still improve a bit.”

In the second half, Montoursville came out more aggressive and, while only recording two shots on goal, did have more possession and kept trying to get something to happen offensively. But the Defenders did well limiting those chances as the defensive back line of Nat Hall, Andie Bohart, Callie Ulmer and Ella Wertman stuck with Montoursville’s forwards and midfielders and didn’t allow players like Berwanger or Khaya Bennett to get into open space and make something happen.

With 33:20 to play until the end of the second half, Bennett lined up for a direct kick from 31 yards out and sent in a solid shot toward the far-left post, but it went just wide out of bounds and harm’s way.

With 7:42 to play, Montoursville had its best chance of the night.

Bennett again had a direct kick opportunity and from 30 yards out, sent in a ball to the 18 towards the feet of teammate Faith Berwanger who was 10 yards out from the gaol. Berwanger got it and quickly turned and took a shot high, sending it off the top of the crossbar, just a foot from what would have been an outstanding goal.

Neither team recorded a shot on goal through the two overtime periods, although Nat Hall had a near goal in the second overtime period. Hall, from 24 yards out, sent a high shot that went just over the crossbar. The near goal fooled many fans who started celebrating, only to see Strassner walk behind the goal to grab the ball.

“It’s definitely frustrating in these kind of games when these shots don’t drop for us,” Ryder said.

Heading into the overtime periods, Ryder told the Defenders to play their style of soccer.

“Basically just to stick to our game and just keep pressing,” Ryder said on the talk at the break.

Berwanger had a chance in the second half with 28;32 to play when she was fed a great throughball and got between two Warrior Run defensive players. Berwanger chased it down into the 18, but wasn’t able to get a shot off as Warrior Run keeper Chloe Burden came up with a sliding stop.

“She’s been fantastic this year,” Ryder said of his keeper.

Both Montoursville and Warrior Run have played well from a defensive standpoint this season. The Defenders had only allowed 11 goals entering Tuesday’s contest and the scoreless draw was the tenth shutout this year for the Defenders.

“Based off Montoursville’s other games, we knew it would be a really good matchup and a tough game,” Warrior Run senior Nat Hall said. “We couldn’t go into it thinking it was going to be like last year where we got up. We knew we had to work hard.”

And without question, Warrior Run and Montoursville both worked hard and battled in a physical game for 100 scoreless minutes.

Warrior Run 0, Montoursville 0 (2 OT)

Shots: WR 12, M 2. Corners: WR 4, M 1. Saves: WR 1 (Chloe Borden), M 8 (Abby Strassner).

Records: Warrior Run (12-2-2, 5-1-1 HAC-II), Montoursville (6-6-2, 4-2-1 HAC-II).