The Toll Gate boys’ soccer team picked up its first point since Sept. 11 after a defensive Division II showdown with North Smithfield that ended in a 0-0 tie, the fourth such result for the Northmen on the season.

The Titans (0-12-2) have had a disappointing season, but strong defense, led by senior captain Kyle McGuire, and goalkeeper Kyle Brown’s six saves helped break their nine-game losing streak.

“They’ve been our anchors all year,” Toll Gate coach Timothy Hayes said of his defense. “We wanna try to play the ball through them as much as possible. We did a really good job in the first half, played really, really well. It’s just, when you play well, you gotta score. We came close and had a few chances. Rough season, just not getting many breaks.”

McGuire had the best scoring chance of the day for the Titans as well, and it came in the opening minutes. North Smithfield (2-5-7) was charged with a handball in its box, resulting in a penalty kick that Hayes selected McGuire to take. His shot was well placed on the left post, but 6-foot-4 goalkeeper Adam Carey was able to lunge and get a hand on it to knock the ball away.

Chances were few and far between for either side for most of the game after that. The Northmen nearly jumped out in front when striker Drew O’Donnell’s header hit the crossbar and bounced on the goal line, but Brown fell on top of the ball.

“We need them all from him,” Hayes said with a laugh about his goalkeeper’s saves. “He’s come up big for us all year, whether it’s getting in crosses or saving us when we give up a shot on a slip and fall. He’s always there to pick us up. I think we did a much better job protecting him than we normally do. He had a couple point-blank that he was able to corral in and not give up a rebound and that’s huge.”

Toll Gate had another chance later in the half when forward David Roa sent a cross to midfielder Logan Heberg, but the freshman couldn’t get his head on the ball near the left post and it rolled out of bounds.

The Northmen followed up with two close calls involving midfielder Christopher Matulaitis. Matulaitis had a free kick just outside the box late in the first half, but his laser went wide right. Soon after, he had a 2-on-1 developing with forward Jake Continho, but McGuire was able to break it up before anything materialized.

Out of halftime, the Titans tried to open the scoring but North Smithfield’s defense was too stout. Midfielder Quincy Lawson, Jr. took on four defenders by himself and nearly danced by all of them, but the last poked the ball out in the box. Forward Alexis Beltran also tried to push himself past the Northmen defense, but he was well covered.

“We really struggled with possession,” Hayes said. “Just credit North Smithfield with that. They made it really hard on us in the second half.”

Toll Gate defenseman Connor Haley shined in the second half, disrupting many of the Northmen’s opportunities, while McGuire and Cary Fields maintained their stalwart ways.

North Smithfield’s Kevin Cronshaw nearly gave his team the lead late in the game on one of its most threatening late-game drives, but Brown played hero again. Cronshaw curved his shot from near the top of the box, but Brown jumped to knock it off his hands out of bounds.

The Titans will look to notch consecutive points for the first time this season when they travel to cross-town rival Pilgrim (3-11-0) today at 5:30 p.m. for the Pats’ senior day.

“We just try to play our game, it doesn’t matter who we play against,” Hayes said. “It’s a lot of passion with that game, it’s always tough. We’re still looking to get a win. If we can get a win over Pilgrim, I think the boys will be happy with that. Never happy with one win, but if you’re only gonna get one, that’s a good one to get.”