Few games in which goals are scored have more action than what fans witnessed in a scoreless draw on Wednesday night at Cardinal Park, as the eighth-ranked Cardinals fought to a 0-0 deadlock with No. 23 Ohio State in the teams’ first meeting since the squads tangled in the NCAA Tournament three seasons ago, a game won 1-0 by the Buckeyes.

Louisville (4-0-2) extended its season-opening unbeaten streak to six games with the tie, marking the third consecutive year in which the Cardinals have begun the season unblemished through their first six matches (Louisville is 14-0-4 in their first six contests over the past three campaigns). A win or draw against Providence on Saturday would give the Cardinals their first seven-game unbeaten string since the 2002 team put together a school-record seven-game winning streak. The longest unbeaten stretch in school history began nearly 29 years ago when the 1981 squad ended the year 7-0-1.

With 109 goal-free minutes in the books, the Cardinals mounted one final charge with 30 seconds to go in the second overtime, as Dylan Mares sent a pass to Paolo DelPiccolo just inside the box, but Buckeye goalkeeper Matt Lampson—who is now tied for fifth in Ohio State history with 13 career shutouts—was able to get a hand on the ball to send it skyward and also punched out the ball on its return flight to secure a tie for Ohio State (4-2-1), whose winless streak now stands at three (the first such streak for the Buckeyes since they lost to three top-five teams in a span of four games to end the 2008 season) after the Buckeyes began the year 4-0-0. The shot from DelPiccolo—the only shot for either team in the second overtime, a period controlled largely by the Cardinals—came four minutes after another Louisville opportunity, but one that ended without a shot after J.T. Murray’s header cross into the box was kicked out by a Buckeye defender.

The teams combined for 20 shots in the game (12 for the Cardinals), with each goalie picking up three saves. Louisville has allowed its foes just 12 shots on goal (48 total) thus far in 2010. Junior Colin Rolfe and Ohio State forward Omar Vallejo tied for game-high honors with three shots apiece.

After neither team threatened in the first four minutes, the offensive chances started flowing, with Louisville entertaining the first three scoring opportunities of the contest. In the fourth minute, Rolfe was taken down in the box with the ball squirting away to DelPiccolo on the left side, but the sophomore’s shot—with the goalie out of position—was blocked away by the Ohio State defense. Less than two minutes later, Murray played a beautiful ball into the right corner for Charlie Campbell, who astutely headed the bouncing ball into the box for Josh Lipka, but Lipka’s shot skidded just wide of the left post (5:44)

Just fifty seconds later, Rolfe brought the crowd to its feet and nearly brought his squad a 1-0 advantage, as he and Lipka played a give-and-go which left Rolfe unmarked on the left side. But the All-American was left putting his hands to his head in disbelief after his shot sailed high over the bar (6:33).

The Buckeyes took their first look at the goal in the eighth minute, beginning when Vallejo raced down the right side and unleashed a cross towards the penalty spot, but a sliding Austin McAnena could not get enough on his shot, leaving Boudreaux unchallenged.

Pushing and shoving ensued in the 17th minute after contact in the box on the Cardinals’ defensive end, an altercation ending with a yellow card for Ohio State forward Dalton Summers. The physical play would continue for much of the first half, with Rolfe receiving a caution of his own 10 minutes later after a nasty collision just outside the box (27:35).

After a nice takeaway by Kenney Walker, the midfielder sprung DelPiccolo down the middle of the field, who delivered a ball to Ryan Smith on the left flank, but Lampson was able to get the angle on Smith and blocked the sophomore’s try over the end line. Walker’s subsequent corner was then headed away harmlessly by the Ohio State back line.

Cardinal fans had to hold their collective breaths as Joshua Breta twice—in a span of less than two minutes—nearly scored his first goal of 2010, with one of his tries actually finding the netting. At 41:58, his try from 25 yards away found the back of the net, but an offsides call negated what would have been just the third goal by a Cardinal opponent all season. Then in the 44th minute, Boudreaux had Sage Gardner’s strike from roughly the same distance bounce off of his chest, and a charging Breta just missed getting a foot on the ball before Boudreaux was able to smother it to ensure a scoreless first half.

Offense dominated for both teams to begin the second stanza, with Louisville surviving a couple of scares on its defensive end before increasing the pressure on Lampson. Some nifty passing involving Campbell, Walker, Rolfe, DelPiccolo and finally Mares left the freshman alone on the right side, but his lofted shot towards the goal was easily caught by Lampson. Nick DeLeon found Rolfe just 20 seconds later (50:08), but the forward’s shot was again high.

Chris Hegngi looked as if he might take matters into his own hands and push through with the opening score, juking a Louisville defender near the left corner and making a dash into the box, but his try was deflected out of harm’s way.

Rolfe continued to match the Buckeye team shot-for-shot, firing his third try from the right flank in the 56th minute after a pass from Mares, but his acute angle strike curved wide of the right post. Aaron Horton unleashed a wicked blast of his own from 25 yards out in the 63rd minute, but the ball flew high as the Buckeyes once again escaped damage.

The teams traded chances in minute number 72, but again neither could come away with the first goal. Buckeye leading scorer Konrad Warzycha began Ohio State’s charge by playing a ball from the midfield circle into the box for Matt Gold, who then flicked a short pass to Breto, but Breto was once again denied with Boudreaux sliding to make the stop (71:22). Mares then sent a pass to Buck Tufty on the right side, but Lampson, charging all the way, smothered the sophomore’s try shortly after it left his foot.

A pinpoint cross from Rolfe to Campbell gave the transfer a look at the goal in the 78th minute, but Campbell’s header ended up wide right. Then with the clock winding down, each team received arguably its best chance of the night, beginning with under five minutes to play when Breto just missed getting a foot on a cross in front of Boudreaux’s net. Under a minute later, Mares sent a pass to DelPiccolo on the far side of the box, whose cross momentarily left an empty net for the Cardinals. But Tufty did not get much on his try and it trickled inches wide of the right post, leaving the sophomore lying on the ground in dismay (86:05). The shot would be the last for either team in regulation.

Neither team registered a shot until the clock read 3:30 (remaining) in the first extra frame, when Boudreaux making a great reflex save after Vallejo found himself all alone on the left side and dribbled to within 10 yards of the goal. Mares and McAnena would unleash shots in the final three minutes, but each’s was too tall and flew harmlessly over the bar. The Louisville defense clamped down in the second 10-minute overtime, as the Cardinals held Ohio State without a shot (or even a scare) over the last 12:30.

The Cardinals’ 2:00 p.m. date with the Friars in Providence on Saturday will be the conference opener for both squads. Louisville is 3-1-0 in BIG EAST lidlifters under current head coach Ken Lolla.