AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's soccer team snatched a draw at the death Saturday afternoon, scoring with 121 seconds remaining to salvage a 1-1 draw with the Warner University Royals at Gyrene Field. Warner scored in the 85th minute to seemingly net the winner, but Rachel Dalton found the equalizer in the 88th minute to give the Gyrenes their fourth point in six tries in Sun Conference play this season.

Neither team gained much of an advantage in the first half Saturday morning, with the match remaining scoreless after 45 minutes of play. Ave Maria had the better chances, twice breaking through the Warner back line, but neither shot could find the back of the net - one was saved, and one sailed wide to the right. Both teams ended the first half with three shots on goal, and both goalkeepers turned in clean sheets as the teams headed to the locker rooms.

Ave Maria started the second half in attack mode, putting up four shots in the first two minutes. The game settled into a stalemate from there, and looked headed for a scoreless draw before the flurry in the final six minutes. With 5:39 remaining on the clock, Warner took a 1-0 lead when Reinna Scott placed a cross from Gabriela Vargas into the back of the net, putting AMU down a goal in the closing moments.

The Gyrenes immediately went on the attack down a goal, and found the equalizer just over three and a half minutes later. With just over two minutes on the clock, a Cate Cox throw in found the foot of Veronica Rodriguez, who perfectly placed a pass to Rachel Dalton inside the box. The junior finished on her first touch, scoring her first goal of the season, and the 14th goal of her AMU career, to even the match at one.

Saturday's match took on an offensive-minded pace, with the two teams combining for 41 shots, including 19 shots on goal. The Gyrenes were the more aggressive team, taking 25 shots to 16 for the Royals. Dalton was Ave Maria's most active attacker, taking five shots before her sixth found the back of the net. In goal, Emma Schweitzer continued her strong play, stopping six shots to keep Warner at bay for most of the match. 

The final match of Ave Maria's first trip through Sun Conference play will represent another major test for the Gyrenes. Ave Maria will head across Alligator Alley for a meeting with No. 25 St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. It will be Ave Maria's first of two matches against ranked opponents this week, with No. 14 Southeastern awaiting in Lakeland on Saturday.