AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's soccer team ended their 2021 season on a high note on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 7-0 victory over the Lions of Florida Memorial. The win, Ave Maria's largest margin of victory in a conference game in school history, was the tenth of the season for the Gyrenes, which also marked a school record. Prior to the contest, the women's soccer program honored their nine senior members.

The AMU scoring started in the 14th minute, as a freshman got the Gyrenes on the board on Senior Day. Rachel Dalton took a pass from Sabrina Inzunza, and beat the goalkeeper for her ninth goal. Dalton then scored again in the 22nd minute, as the freshman got a pass from sister Hannah Dalton and raced ahead for her team-high tenth goal. Alyssa Stewart concluded AMU's scoring in the first half with a goal in the 26th minute, with the assist given to Beth Staufenberger, whose blocked shot fell to the feet of Stewart.

Ave Maria wasted little time in adding to their lead in the second half, as Dalton scored her eleventh goal in the 50th minute. The freshman scored when she headed a rebound from Chiara O'Keefe, who earned the assist, into the back of the net. Brenda Tubb added to the tally with a goal in the 68th minute, with junior Marguerite Estes picking up the assist. 

Stewart posted the first multi-goal game of her career with a tally in the 85th minute, with Jeanine Sullivan earning the assist when her shot attempted was finished by Stewart. Sullivan then added a goal of her own to finish the day's scoring, taking a picture perfect long pass from Julia Chapoton, avoiding the goalie, and scoring in the 87th minute.

Gyrene goalkeepers Maddie Samuelson and Hannah Peach combined on the Ave Maria shutout, with both goalies earning one save. 21 different Gyrenes saw time on the field on Saturday afternoon, with the Gyrenes logging 34 shots to just four from the Lions. AMU's most active attacker was Rachel Dalton with six shots and Staufenberger with five.

The end of the Ave Maria season saw several team records fall. With her hat trick, Rachel Dalton tied a school record for goals by a freshman with eleven. Maddie Samuelson finished the season with a 1.02 goals against average, topping her school record from a year ago. The backbone of the AMU defense, Laura Spence and Makenzie Ezell, finished 1-2 in school history in minutes played in a season, with both logging more than 1400. Spence also became the program's all-time leader in games played, taking the field for the 63rd time on Saturday. 

Ave Maria's 2021 season ends with a 10-7 record, which marked a school record in both wins and winning percentage. The wins included an upset of a national top ten team in Southeastern, as well as home conference victories over Florida Memorial, Warner, and Thomas. The women's soccer team heads into 2022 with as much momentum as the program has ever had, and will look for a third straight winning season.