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GREENSBORO — The coaches wanted a tune-up with the postseason looming near. The players wanted blood, bragging rights, another notch on their respective unbeaten seasons. The fans — including almost 100 students from each school — just wanted a good show.

And in most ways, everyone went home happy.

The much-anticipated clash of Page and Greensboro Day's soccer teams Monday ended with both staying unbeaten, as a hectic second half yielded no goals and a 1-1 final.

"That was everything it was cracked up to be," Bengals head coach Taylor Johnson said. "We haven't had a test like that this year. Big picture, we're content with it."

All the scoring took place within 60 seconds late in the first half. Page's lightning-quick striker Rob Jovejoy scored a nifty goal off an assist from Haji Kanneh 10 minutes before the break, but Day carefully worked the ensuing possession upfield and punched it in 57 seconds later on a shot by Joel Teah.

There was no shortage of chances from there out. Day's Kyle Arnold missed just left, then just high. Page's Hassan Koutayeh hit the crossbar on a prayer from 50 yards out. The Pirates' Glen Alan Long put one touch on a pass in the box, giving Greensboro Day goalkeeper Chris Groce, who had seven saves, just enough time to sprint over and smother it.

The best chance belonged to the Bengals' Patrick Howell, who fired a laser through traffic from 15 yards out. Page goalkeeper Tom Jackson took a guess where he should be positioned but barely saw the ball before it hit him square in the chest.

"At that point," said Jackson, "it was just a reflex save."

Greensboro Day, which clinched the PACIS championship last week, improved to 14-0-3 and is likely destined for a first-round bye when the NCISAA playoff brackets are released Wednesday.

The Bengals are ranked second in the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association private school poll.

Page is now 11-0-3, one of only three unbeatens left in 4-A along with Durham Jordan and Southwest Guilford.

The Pirates, ranked seventh in the NCSCA poll, have already clinched the Metro 4-A Conference title with a week to go.

"It was almost bigger than a conference game for us," Jackson said. "We've been a standout in our conference, and it was good to measure up against a really good team."

This was supposed to be the teams' second meeting, but last week's match was rained out. Jackson, who made 13 saves, said he really would have liked another shot.

"It was kind of anticlimatic. There was a lot of build-up for both teams," he said. "But I can't say it wasn't a fair result."

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com

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Goals: Greensboro Day — Joel Teah. Page — Rob Lovejoy. Assists: Greensboro Day — Nick Beane. Page — Patrick Parker. Shots: Page 11, Greensboro Day 24. Saves: Page (Tom Jackson) 13; Greensboro Day (Chris Groce) 7. Corner kicks: Page 5, Greensboro Day 4.
Records: Greensboro Day 14-0-3, 3-0-1; Page 11-0-2, 8-0-0