CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Rams took to the field for the first time in the Ellie McDougall era and in 2022 and came out with high-intensity pressure that resulted in a number of quality offensive chances, but ultimately the Suffolk women's soccer team settled for a scoreless draw against Elms at Leary Field Thursday night. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 0 | Elms 0 
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-0-1) | Elms (0-0-1)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Freshman Sophia Barker made three saves in the first 45 minutes of play for her first career shutout. The Rams had three shots in the first half, but couldn't get past Blazers keeper Angela Picheo.  

Suffolk picked up the pressure out of the locker room. The visitors controlled the pace of the game and peppered Picheo with shot-after-shot. Elms' goalie gloves turned aside all six shots she faced in the second set of 45 minutes to keep the Rams off the board. 

Barker, meanwhile, did her job in the only shot she saw in the second stanza to preserve the season-opening tie.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• Barker picked up four saves in the stalemate. 
• Picheo registered nine stops in between the pipes.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk outshot Elms, 10-7, including a 9-4 advantage in shots on target. 
• The Rams had 10 corner kicks, five in each half, while the Blazers were limited to one throughout the game. 
• Hayley Long led Suffolk's offensive charge with four shots, all on target,  
• Klaudia Rushi and Molly Knight, who took three and two shots, respectively, put their attempts on net as well.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk started the McDougall era. 
• The Rams are now 6-7-2 in season openers. 
• The Rams have opened their last three campaigns versus Elms. 
• Suffolk is now unbeaten in its last three season debuts. 
• The Rams moved to 2-1-0 when a team is kept off the scoreboard in the first outing of the season. 
• A day one decision has been decided via shutout four times including the last three seasons. 
• The Rams remain unbeaten against Elms all-time, 2-1-1. 
• Suffolk is 1-0-1 when playing at Elms. 
• Suffolk began the year on the road for the first time since 2019. The Rams are 2-5-2 in the first game of the year as the away team. 
• The last time Suffolk played to a tie on opening-day was the 2010 opener, which was a double overtime scoreless stalemate at Eastern Nazarene Sept. 4, 2010. 
• The last time a Rams outing ended in a scoreless draw was a two-OT outing at Simmons Oct. 3, 2018. 

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk stays on the road this weekend when it visits Framingham State Saturday, Sept. 3 for a 12 p.m. outing.