AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's soccer team earned a critical Sun Conference victory Wednesday night, rolling to a 4-0 victory over the Lions of Florida Memorial University at Gyrene Field. The win, coupled with Webber's win over Warner, gave the Gyrenes a four-point cushion in the hunt for a Sun Conference Tournament berth.
Wednesday's match was tied for less than 14 minutes before the Gyrenes took the lead for good. In the 14th minute, a loose ball found the foot of Catherine Dalton. The freshman unleashed a rocket of the shot from 20 yards out, beating the goalie to her right. The goal was Dalton's third of her AMU career, and gave the Gyrenes a 1-0 lead that they would take into the locker room.
It took the Gyrenes less than four minutes after halftime to score their first of three second half goals. In the 49th minute, Libby Brooks launched a long-range shot that was saved by the FMU goalkeeper. However, Elizabeth Nowak pounced on the rebound, scoring her first goal of the season from point blank range.
Ave Maria added two more goals in the second half, both scored by junior Madelyn Krause. Krause's first tally came in the 68th minute, when the Venice native finished from long range on a pass from Lexi Boyko. The second goal, Ave Maria's final of the night, saw Krause steal the ball from an FMU defender, have her first shot blocked, and then recover to beat the goalkeeper for her third goal of the season.
The Gyrenes put constant pressure on the Lions Wednesday night, launching 32 total shots and 13 shots on goal. The pressure was especially apparent in the second half, when Ave Maria held a 21-1 edge in total shots. The Gyrenes attempted ten corner kicks in the match, compared to just three for the Lions.
Thirteen different Gyrenes attempted a shot Wednesday night, led by Rachel Dalton's five attempts. Catherine Dalton and Cate Cox both attempted four. In goal, Emma Schweitzer and Arianna Dale combined on a shutout for the Gyrenes. Schweitzer played the first 73 minutes and change, while Dale concluded the game, playing just over 16 minutes. Both goalkeepers turned away the only shot on goal they would face.
As the Gyrenes near a potential Sun Conference Tournament berth, Ave Maria will face a major test Saturday afternoon. AMU will play host to the fifth-ranked team in the nation, the Bees of SCAD-Savannah, with kickoff scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Prior to the match, AMU's final home Saturday contest of the season, the women's soccer program will honor its senior class.
