ROCKFORD, Ill.- The Rockford University men's soccer team took their home field Friday afternoon to face the Cornell College Rams to begin the 2014 season. With an influx of new players the Regents looked to start the season on a positive note. Rockford was on the offensive all game and its defense played even better. The Rams and the Regents battled through two overtimes to end in a zero all tie.  

Rockford controlled the game from the onset and kept the ball on Cornell's side of the field for much of the first two halves. The Regents outshot the Rams 14-2 during that time. Miguel Cortez (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) put constant pressure on Cornell and led the game with five shots. Erik Manriquez (Rockford, Ill./Thomas Jefferson) was also in on the Regents offense and kept pace with three shots of his own. Rockford's offense received many contributors with eight different players attempting a shot.  The Regents would finish with 16 shots for the game and five of those were shots on goal.  

Despite the constant pressure put on by Rockford's offense the Cornell defense held strong. Rockford's defense was even better as they only allowed three shots for the game. Two of those shots were stopped by freshman goalie Kyle Adams (St. Louis, Mo./Timberland) in the last few minutes of the second half and the first overtime period.

This was the first shutout for Rockford since 2011 when they beat Knox College 3-0. This is also the first home shutout for men's soccer since Rockford joined the Northern Athletics Colliegate Conference in the fall of 2006. 

Rockford returns to the field tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. when Crown (Minn.) travels to face the Regents.