When neither team looks like a winner, a double-overtime scoreless tie is all each deserves.

The SF State men's soccer team dragged 110 minutes of goal-less soccer out of the Notre Dame de Namur University Argonauts at Cox Stadium Friday. The non-conference result moves the Gators to 7-5-1 on the season.

With two key starters out — leading scorer Dylan Glass (hamstring injury) and midfielder Kevin Gallette (suspension) — Gator coach Joe Hunter had to experiment with some unusual lineups.

"We were missing a central midfielder, and we were missing a striker up front ... but this is all about guys pulling together and I'm pleased that we didn't allow it to waste away," Hunter said. "We didn't take a loss, we got the draw."

The shakeup made for some cautious — and at-times negative — soccer, but it allowed Hunter to gauge the depth of his squad.

"The team is sometimes ... not fragile, but the chemistry can change," Hunter said of making changes to his starting 11. "Some players step onto the field and don't want to make a mistake when it's something new to them. As a result, we weren't as aggressive as we should have been with chances."

Sophomore Luke Terry played more than usual and was dangerous going forward, Spencer Schwandt looked natural slotting into the midfield, and freshman Franco Cruz made some marauding runs from the flanks.

Junior Jake Beverlin also started at left back for the first time this season, while sophomore Robert Maeda lined up in midfield.

"I thought Bobby [Maeda] did well," Hunter said. "That's the first time he's played there, and to put him in a match like that shows something. It gives us another resource in that position."

The end-of-game stats showed the new-look Gators out-shot the Argonauts 20-16, but numbers often flatter.

The Gators' only real chance in regulation came in the 28th minute when Schwandt and Casey Poston linked up to gift Wes Whitt a shot from outside the box. Whitt's rocket was on target, but Argonaut goalkeeper Mike Jaso saved well.

The Argonauts' Robert Morini forced a save from Israel Cisneros as 90 minutes wound down, but while Jaso and Cisneros recorded six and eight saves respectively, neither 'keeper had much to worry about.

The best chances came in the last few minutes of double overtime.

Terry saw a shot deflected wide, Benno Nagel headed into side-netting from a corner, and Schwandt almost nodded a looping ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

The Argonauts almost scored a last-gasp winner under ludicrous circumstances when Cisneros misjudged a bounce at the edge of the penalty area and lost possession, but the scare came to nothing.

"I definitely liked that second overtime," Hunter said. "We had a lot of opportunities and maybe that might have got us something."

Despite enjoying "that second overtime," Hunter admitted that playing 110 minutes of soccer two days before an important conference game is never ideal. The Gators take on the Chico State Wildcats in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game Sunday.

"Every minute we put in preparing for Sunday's game will be vital," he said. "Chico's at home resting right now and not doing anything, but we've not got to use that as an excuse."

Senior Gator captain Matt Pedersen, who played the entire game Friday, echoed Hunter.

"We've just got to grind it out," he said.