VANCOUVER, Wash. — Clark College battled for a hard-fought 0–0 draw against Tacoma on Saturday afternoon at Kim Christensen Field, relying on a stingy defense and steady goalkeeping to earn the result.
The Penguins outshot Tacoma 13–9, including a flurry of chances in the second half, but could not break through despite holding a 6–5 edge in corner kicks. Freshman forward Julio Mondragon led the Clark attack, firing a team-high four shots, one on target. Hulises Najera also generated chances with three shots, two on frame, forcing Tacoma's keeper to stay sharp.
Defensively, Clark was anchored by senior goalkeeper Patrick Murphy, who recorded four saves to secure the clean sheet. Murphy's best sequence came in the 66th minute, when he turned away consecutive Tacoma attempts to preserve the shutout.
Midfielders Andrew Altukoff and Hakim Keita added to the attack with key looks in the box, while defenders Maksym Koval and Kaito Thammavong held the Tacoma frontline in check.
Though both sides had opportunities late — including Najera's shot on goal at the final whistle — neither could find the back of the net.
The result pushes Clark's record to 2-0-3 overall (2-0-3 WEST), as they continue to build early-season momentum. The Penguins return to action next week looking to capitalize on their defensive foundation and turn more of their offensive pressure into goals. They will travel to Pierce on Wednesday, September 17th to face them for the second time this season.
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