UNIVERSITY PARK (Nittany Nation) — On a rainy night in Happy Valley that saw a 30-minute weather delay, Penn State drew 0-0 with no. 2 North Carolina in the two’s colossal season opening match.

While the Tar Heels controlled much of the first UNC struggled to make a real threat. Despite taking 19 shots, just two got to Penn State goalie Kat Asman.

“Us as a whole backline were dominating,” she said. “We were finding ways to break the infamous North Carolina pressure. And we were finding ways to build and to go at them.”

After a 30-minute lightening delay, Penn State controlled the final 9-minutes and nearly cashed in on a free kick in the closing moments after ball found a Nittany Lion head then foot all inside the six, but never went in. It was the team’s best chance since Tar Heel goalie Emmie Allen deflected a Kaitlyn MacBean shot off the crossbar.

After a slow start for Penn State the Nittany Lion lived up to their top-10 billing.

“We started connecting passes. We were way more connected and started switching the point of attack and started to play the way that we want to play a little bit,” said head coach Erica Dambauch. “It just took us took us some minutes to get there.”

A scoreless draw is far from the worst-case scenario for Penn State who continues its season at home Sunday against West Chester at 1 p.m.