AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's soccer team earned a badly needed three points on Saturday evening, thanks to a 1-0 victory over the Warner University Royals. The win kept Ave Maria's chances at a berth in The Sun Conference Tournament very much alive, and snapped a four match winless streak in which the Gyrenes had lost three matches by one goal and two matches in overtime.
Saturday's win came with two notable pieces of history for the Gyrenes. The ninth win of the season set a new school record, breaking the mark set last season. The win also guaranteed the Gyrenes will finish with a winning record for the second season in a row, marking the first back-to-back winning campaigns in the program's history.
The critical goal for the Gyrenes came in the 31st minute, courtesy of senior Sarah Dalton. A loose ball was played forward by Beth Staufenberger, and deflected off a Warner defender. Dalton got behind the defense, and beat the goalkeeper for her second goal of the season. The assist marked the first of the season for Staufenberger, as well as her first point.
That goal would prove to be enough for Ave Maria, as the score remained 1-0 for the final 60 minutes of the contest. Although the Ave Maria attack could not find any insurance, the defensive effort held strong to keep the Royals off the board. The defense was anchored by the trio of Laura Spence, Makenzie Ezell, and Libby Brooks, all of whom played at least 88 of the 90 minutes in the victory.
Ave Maria was the more aggressive team on offense, taking 19 shots while the Royals managed just seven. The shots on goal margin was less pronounced, with AMU holding a 7-2 lead in that category. The Gyrenes had five opportunities on corner kicks during the contest, including four in the first half.
Making her first start in three weeks, Maddie Samuelson earned her fifth shutout of the season, making two saves in the process. On the offensive side of the field, Rachel Dalton was Ave Maria's most active attacker, recording five shots with two shots on goal. Sarah Dalton and Julia Chapoton also attempted three shots each in the victory.
Following the victory on Saturday, the Gyrenes head into another must-win match on Thursday. The Gyrenes take on the No. 25 St. Thomas University Bobcats in Miami Gardens, and would likely vault themselves into Sun Conference Tournament position with a win. Kickoff between the Bobcats and Ave Maria in Dade County is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
