AVE MARIA, Fla. – The Ave Maria Women's Soccer team continued its strong form Saturday morning, defeating Carolina University 2-0 at Gyrene Field. The Bruins are new to the NAIA, traveling from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With the win, the Gyrenes improve to 3-2-0 on the season, building momentum after a hard-fought 4-2 road victory over Thomas University earlier in the week.
The match showcased Ave Maria's offensive dominance from the outset. The Gyrenes outshot the Bruins 20-2, peppering Carolina goalkeeper Waleska Gonzalez with relentless pressure. Gonzalez was a standout in defeat, making nine saves, but Ave Maria's persistence proved too much.
The first goal came in the 16th minute when freshman midfielder Allie Burgess capitalized on a scramble in the box, rifling home her second goal of the season unassisted. It was Burgess's timely strike that set the tone, giving Ave Maria a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish. The Gyrenes controlled possession in the opening half, firing 12 shots compared to the Bruins' two.
The second half saw Ave Maria extend their advantage early. Just 2:51 into the period, at the 47-minute mark, Claire Wrobleski doubled the lead with a powerful finish. Wrobleski was a force all afternoon, registering four shots on goal from seven attempts, constantly testing Gonzalez.
A lightning delay interrupted the second half, putting a pause on momentum, yet the Gyrenes returned from the break with focus intact and assured the win with composure. The women fired eight more shots after the return and held the Bruins to none. Goalkeeper Avalena DeBolt earned her second clean sheet of the year, stopping both of Carolina's shots on target.
Offensively, Ave Maria's depth shone through. Cate Cox was instrumental with seven shots, including four on goal, while Catherine Dalton added four attempts. Substitutes like Sophia Egger and Aviana Ferraez provided fresh legs, maintaining the pressure late.
"Definitely not ideal circumstances with the weather and having the delay," assistant coach Rachel Atherley said, "but the women fought really hard, and we had some great combination play up front. We're really proud of them, they did the work, and we got the win."
Next up for Ave Maria is a home tilt against the Faulkner Eagles on Thursday, September 11th, where they'll aim to extend their winning streak. "We're definitely going to look over the film, build on some of the principles we did really well, and look at some areas of improvement there in preparation for next week," Atherley said.
