Creighton’s offense was held in check by the Denver defense. (Williams / WBR) CLICK TO BUY
Alex Kapp brought his “A-game” to the Morrison Stadium pitch on Wednesday night. The graduate transfer from Boston College showed off his flexibility and reaction time on his way to stopping a stadium-record nine shots as the 12th-ranked Bluejays played to a scoreless draw after 110 minutes of intense back and forth action against the 8th-ranked Denver Pioneers.
Creighton’s back line was under fire for much of the second half, but despite creating scoring chances on numerous occasions, the Pioneers could not get anything past CU’s last line of defense.
“He was our savior today,” Creighton coach Elmar Bolowich said of his senior co-captain and shot-stopper. “Hopefully our young back line learns a little bit from it, because we had some holes, we gave them some looks at goal. I want that to be tightened up. We are working on that, but it’s a work in progress.”
Denver (7-0-2) had two golden opportunities to find the back of the net in the second half. The first came in the 75th minute on a corner kick when midfielder Graham Smith corralled a loose ball in front of two Bluejay defenders and fired it low through the traffic. Kapp picked up the shot with just enough time to slide his right foot in its path and deflect it away.
“That’s all reaction right there,” the goalkeeper said. “I saw it at the very end, and luckily I’m a bit flexible so I was able to get a foot on it.”
In the 81st minute he had to use his left foot on the second of Denver’s dangerous scoring chances. Forward Andre Shinyashiki timed a run along the left flank and caught up to a through ball behind Creighton’s back line. With no one between him and Kapp, he fired a shot low to the near post, but Kapp, who closed in on the Denver striker to limit the shooting window, stuck his left foot out just in time to redirect the shot and keep the match scoreless.
Whatever it takes to get the job done, Kapp said.
“A save is a save. I use whatever body part I can to make the save. It’s not like I’m trying to use both feet or anything like that, it’s just where ever it comes that’s what I’m going to use.”
Whether it was intercepting set pieces in the air, or deflecting crosses in his box, he was up to the task at the times when his defense needed him most. His nine saves tied the Morrison Stadium record held by Alex Bolowich, the son of Creighton’s current head coach, for most saves in a match by a Bluejay. Bolowich also stopped nine shots in a match against No. 14 Old Dominion back in 2012.
See photos from WBR Photographer Brad Williams from the match
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Creighton was not without their own opportunities to score a goal, but almost every time they made a run in the attacking third Denver’s defense would swarm to the ball and take away any potential windows for through balls or crosses. Their execution in the defensive third drew nothing but praise from the six-year Bluejay head coach.
“In 110 minutes they did not allow a free kick for us in front of their 18. That means they are very clever, they are very patient, and they are very together,” Bolowich said.
“That’s very unusual too. Normally you get one or two free kicks in the 18-20, 25-yard range — we didn’t have any. Credit to them. They defended as a team, they always got behind the ball, they are physically very fit, and they are much more experienced than we are.”
Everything was contested and the Bluejays could not earn any free kicks on Wednesday night (Williams / WBR) CLICK TO BUY
Normally a team can come away from a draw at home feeling like they lost, but given that his team’s back line was under fire for most of the latter parts of the match while scoring chances of their own came at a premium, it’s a result that Creighton’s coach will gladly take home at the end of the night.
“I’m okay with coming out with a tie when you look at how the game went,” he said. “Obviously having a tie at home and not scoring a goal is not something you want to wish for — you would hope for a little bit more, but given the circumstances, given the opponent, it is what it is. We’re not heartbroken about it, it doesn’t hurt us.”
Next up for the Bluejays (4-1-2, 1-0-0 Big East) is a trip to Chicago to take on the DePaul Blue Demons in their second conference match of the season. DePaul dropped a 1-0 decision at Xavier on Saturday in their Big East opener, but rebounded to beat Northwestern on the road, 2-1, while Creighton was taking on Denver.
“They are much better compared to the years past,” Bolowich said of the Blue Demons. “They are improved. They have a bunch of very good soccer players. They went foreign and got a couple of Germans and a couple of international guys. They will be very strong, and it’s on their field. We have to be ready for it.”
Kickoff at Wish Field on Saturday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Listen to postgame interviews with Creighton Men’s Soccer Head Coach Elmar Bolowich and goalkeeper Alex Kapp
