First place on the line in final home game

The heads-up effort came from midfielder Robbyn McNeill, who slid across the goal-line in the 90th minute to kick a StFX drive harmlessly out of bounds after it sneaked past keeper Amanda Budden.

The defensive effort kept the game scoreless and extended the Capers season long unbeaten streak to 9-0-3.

“As I was running across I saw the girl go in. I was just hoping she would pass it across so I would have a chance to get there,” said McNeill, a Kentville native.

“I was just happy I was close enough. Being the last one back I’m the closest there a lot of the times.”

A goal at that point most likely would have been demoralizing for a Capers team that had carried the play throughout the afternoon in the Atlantic University Sport match.

The host CBU side played the first half with a stiff wind at their backs and used that to their advantage to create the vast majority of scoring chances in the game’s opening 45 minutes.

Chelsea Currie had most of those chances, including dangerous shots in the 13th, 16th and 17th minutes. None, however, were better than a 43rd minute drive that began at midfield and saw her outrace two StFX defenders to a loose ball.

She then raced in alone, chipped the ball over keeper Maris Miller and directly into the crossbar.

The wind was at the backs of the X-Women in the second half, but the Capers still managed the majority of scoring chances, again led by Currie.

“We are still trying to figure out how ‘X’ is so far down the standings because we always have such a hard time against them,” said McNeill. “We are happy with a tie, but we are not happy with the way we played, especially after last weekend when we scored so many goals. We’ll take it, though.”

Capers coach Ness Timmons also gave full marks to a battling StFX squad in Friday’s game.

“With zero-zero at least we didn’t allow anything, so we’ll take it,” said Timmons, following the game.

“We created some chances, we just didn’t finish them. Sometimes that is hard to get a handle on, but we work on creating chances and taking it from there.”

Entering the game, the Capers needed a win to secure the top seed entering next weekend’s AUS playoffs. Friday’s tie means they may have to produce another result in their final game of the season, today against Acadia on their home turf, to earn that distinction. Game time is 3 p.m.

Even without a win, the Capers have already secured a first-round bye for the AUS championship they’ll host Nov. 2-4.

gmcneil@cbpost.com