By Chris Riley

ROME--110 minutes of play could not seperate Shorter University from Lee University on Friday evening as the two former NAIA Southern States Athletic Conference rivals matched up for the first time in their new NCAA Division 2 conference; the Gulf South. Playing to a 0-0 tie in front of the home fans. 

The tie moves Shorter to 5-2-2 on the season, and 5-1-1 in the GSC. Lee goes to 3-2-2 overall, and 2-2-2 in conference play.

The first half was an edgy affair as each team looked to feel the other out and chances coming few and far between for either side, Ryan Horn had the best chance of the half with 15 minutes left but he could not find the back of the net from 10 yards out.

The second half continued in much the same fashion with chances coming at a premium, Robert Ochieng thought he had again found the difference maker for the Hawks as he found just one defender between him and the Lee net, beating the defender well Ochieng placed his shot wide much to his despair.

Despite not being able to find the winning goal the Hawks held firm at the back with Nicolas Ferrigno keeping his 4th clean sheet of the season and Jonas Uhlhorn playing his best game so far in his young Shorter career.

The Hawks will take a brief break from conference action as they travel to Nashville Tuesday, October 8, to play Trevecca Nazarene, before returning to the Gulf South play with a weekend road trip to West Alabama and West Florida on on Friday and Sunday.