AVE MARIA, Fla- The Ave Maria University women's soccer team picked up an early signature win Saturday afternoon at Gyrene Field, knocking off (RV) Southeastern University by a 2-0 score in the Sun Conference opener for both teams. The victory over the Fire, who have been ranked as high as 20th in the nation this season before entering the receiving votes category earlier this week, marked Ave Maria's first ever victory over the fire on home turf, and the second win all-time in 21 tries against SEU.
Ave Maria jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute, taking advantage of a Southeastern miscue. The Fire turned the ball over in the defensive third, and the ball settled on the foot of Kana Mateaki. Although Mateaki's shot was turned away, the rebound bounced straight to freshman Claire Wrobleski. The Montana native finished the job, scoring her fifth goal of the season to open the scoresheet for the Gyrenes.
The duo of Mateaki and Wrobleski found the mark again not even five minutes later. Mateaki beat the Fire down the sideline on a counterattack, and placed a low cross into the box. The freshman was once again in the perfect position, upping her scoring total to six on the season and giving Ave Maria a 2-0 lead less than 20 minutes into the match. Wrobleski's two goals were the only goals in the opening frame, sending the Gyrenes to the locker room with a two-goal edge.
The teams played just under 22 minutes of the second half without any scoring before lightning in the southwest Florida area put a halt to the contest. The match would resume an hour and 35 minutes later, but the score would not change. Ave Maria's defense held strong for the final 20 minutes and change, ensuring AMU's third win of the season and a 1-0 start in Sun Conference play.
AMU was the more active team in the attacking third, outshooting Southeastern by a 19-10 margin in the victory. That advantage also extended to the shots on goal department, where the Gyrenes attempted seven shots that challenged the goalkeeper, compared to three for the Fire. Ave Maria goalkeeper Emma Schweitzer posted her second clean sheet of the season with three saves, including stopping a free kick in the final seconds to ensure the shutout.
Saturday's tilt marked the beginning of Sun Conference play, and the Gyrenes will remain within the SUN schedule next week for two games. The first will come Wednesday evening, when the Gyrenes head to Lake Wales for a meeting with the Warner University Royals. Ave Maria will then return home Saturday, hosting New College of Florida in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. That match is also scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
