TSC Maryland Pride forward Lisa Zanti created two scoring opportunities, but was unable to find the net in an abbreviated 0-0 opening game draw against the Atlantic City Diablos on Saturday.
The Pride (0-0-1) out-chanced Atlantic City (0-0-1) 4-2.
The two teams combined to hit three posts in the first 63 minutes of the WPSL East matchup, but match officials called the game after seeing lightning 18 minutes into the second half.
Zanti and midfielder Christy Bush brought the crowd to it's feet in the 23rd minute, after Zanti made a run down the right touchline past Diablos defender Kasey Makowski and drove a cross to the far post. A diving Bush rocketed a ball off the crossbar.
Forward Karyn Farrar got into the mix in the 37th minute when midfielder Mandy Romer found her with a cross at the top of the six-yard box, but Farrar couldn't get a foot on the ball cleanly and it rolled wide of the post.
Diablos goalkeeper Bridget Mahon preserved the 0-0 score two minutes before halftime, when Zanti danced around three Diablos defenders at the penalty spot. From 10 yards, she sent a shot low to the corner, which Mahon sprung to her right to deflect wide.
TSC hit the crossbar again early in the second half on striker Jerica Dewolfe's shot from 20 yards out.
Reserve Shelley Gubney gave AC its best chance two minutes later when she collected a botched clearing attempt by Pride defender Danielle Malagari. Gubney then beat Haley Howe off the dribble and beat TSC keeper Jocelyn Papciak, but her shot rang off the far post and was safely cleared.
Each team had one corner kick in the matchup.
