Box Score Wabash opened its new Mud Hollow Stadium on Saturday with some thrilling play on the pitch between the Little Giants and Trine. Great play by both goalkeepers forced a double-overtime 0-0 tie in the Second Annual Robbie Dreher Classic.

View photos from the match and the stadium dedication ceremony here.

The match was the first at the new stadium, which was completed this summer as part of the $6 million Wabash outdoor athletics facilities campaign. Prior to the start of the match, Wabash President Patrick White, Dean of Students Mike Raters '85, recently retired athletics director Tom Bambrey '68 and current AD Joe Haklin '73 were joined by other dignitaries in an official dedication of the stadium.

Included in the group was Scott Dreher '82, a lead donor for the project and father of Robbie, for whom this weekend's soccer classic is named. Robbie died in a tragic airplane wreck in 2006.

Scott said of his son, "Robbie played and watched soccer constantly and kept a ball in his locker at school for recess. He was a smaller kid and his favorite players were ones who fought and succeeded against bigger players or odds --- he liked the onew who had 'heart.' His team won the league title in 2006 despite playing a division higher than their individual abilities would have suggested."

After the dedication, Wabash and Trine began a marathon session in 100-degree heat. The warm temperatures did not hurt the play, with both teams providing several challenges throughout the 110 minutes of play.

"The game was against the heat as much as against each other," Giannini said. "Both teams played in tough conditions and really gave a great effort. After about 25 minutes, little by little we started playing our style of soccer. We did a much better job in the second half of controling the ball and became a more dangerous team. We finished with three clear opportunities in the two overtime periods."

Seniors Dylan Andrew and Femi Oluyedun both created scoring opportunites in the extra session. Oluyedun took a pass from midfield, settled the ball and just had his header sail over the top of the crossbar. Andrew had two runs snuffed out by Thunder keeper Nick Thon.

Wabash goaltender Matt Paul turned aside five shots on goal by Trine, including a spectacular diving stop on a shot by Foster Webb. Paul faced a total of 11 shot attempts by Trine with five going on net.

"Overall I'm pleased because I believe we finished strong," Giannini said. " With this hot weather it was questionable how we would end up at the end. I think we were a better team at the end than at the beginning. We didn't win, but it's a good result for a first game."

Andrew led Wabash with three shots on goal. Josh Pedersen and Blake Jennings also had shots on goal for the Little Giants.

Wabash (0-0-1) will face Millikin University on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Mud Hollow Stadium.