Robert Morris battles down a man to scoreless draw at Cleveland State; Josh Lane breaks program shutout record

In a grueling, physical Horizon League clash with massive postseason implications, Jonathan Potter’s Robert Morris Colonials showed their grit on the road—playing the final 27 minutes a man down to secure a 0-0 draw against Cleveland State at Krenzler Field.

The point keeps RMU (6-4-6, 3-1-5 Horizon League) firmly in the middle of a tight conference playoff race while cementing a historical milestone between the posts. Senior captain goalkeeper Josh Lane recorded five saves to collect his 18th career clean sheet, officially breaking Roba Bolaji’s (2009–12) program record for all-time shutouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Cleveland State came out pressing early, firing four shots in the first 17 minutes that sailed wide of the target. Once the Colonials settled into their defensive shape, they nearly took the lead against the run of play.

In the 21st minute, sophomore midfielder Riley Cotton uncorked a long-range strike that beat the diving Vikings keeper, only to crash off the top of the crossbar.

As the Vikings re-established sustained possession down the stretch, Lane stepped up, swallowing four first-half saves to send both sides into the locker room deadlocked at 0-0.

The Colonials generated another golden opportunity just two minutes into the second half. Cutting inside from the right wing, Danish midfielder Filip Jeppesen unleashed a curling, left-footed effort that beat the keeper but hit the post—marking the second time RMU was denied by the woodwork.

The tone of the match shifted dramatically in the 63rd minute. In a contest that saw five yellow cards issued, freshman Joaquin Fazal was shown a straight red card, forcing RMU to navigate the final 27 minutes plus stoppage time down to 10 men.

Cleveland State swarmed the attacking third, unleashing six shots down the stretch to exploit the numerical advantage. However, center-back duo Miguel Dominguez and Abdul Kamara played all 90 minutes, organizing a resilient low block to limit high-grade chances. Lane required only one additional second-half save to seal the shutout and earn the point on the road.

Inside the Box Score & Milestone Notes

• Record-Breaker: Josh Lane now holds sole possession of the RMU all-time shutout record (18 clean sheets), while extending his career totals to 171 saves and 22 victories.

• Shot & Corner Count: Cleveland State outshot RMU 19-9 (5-1 on goal) and held a 7-1 corner kick edge.

• Attacking Triggers: Giovanni Dennis, Aiden Bernklau-Wostl, and Nicholas Samways led RMU’s attack with two shots apiece.

• Defensive Ironmen: Miguel Dominguez and Abdul Kamara anchored the backline for the full 90 minutes.

Horizon League Playoff Picture

With the result, Cleveland State finishes its regular-season slate tied for 3rd place with 15 points.

RMU sits tied for 5th place with 14 points, holding the tiebreaker over 6th-place Wright State thanks to their head-to-head victory last week. The Colonials remain in prime position to clinch a Horizon League Tournament berth heading into the final matchday.

UP NEXT

RMU returns to Moon Township for its regular-season finale on Tuesday, November 3 at 2:00 PM, hosting Northern Illinois at the North Athletic Complex. The match will stream live on ESPN+.

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