On Wednesday night, the Holy Cross women’s soccer team hosted St. Francis as they continue Chicago Collegiate Athletic Conference play. The Saints headed into the match riding back-to-back wins against Judson and St. Ambrose, while also drawing Olivet Nazarene in their previous three conference matches. St. Francis entered the contest 2-1-1 in conference play, including dominant wins over Trinity Christian and Judson, and a loss to St. Ambrose.
The Saints started the match on a strong note with a goal from junior Frances Parks in the 15th minute, assisted by senior forward Mia Garatoni. This was Parks’ fourth goal of the season, all of which have come in conference play. However, the Saints couldn’t maintain the lead heading into the break as St. Francis’ Mia Ocana leveled the match at one apiece in the 33rd minute.
In the second half, both teams struggled to find the back of the net, aided by Holy Cross' freshman goalkeeper Janiah Juarez recording 12 saves to keep her squad in the match. In the game’s dying minutes, St. Francis was awarded a penalty. The Fighting Saints seized the opportunity for a road win as Kelly Flores slotted the penalty home to give the Fighting Saints a 2-1 lead, ultimately deciding the match. The Saints finished the game with 16 shots to St. Francis’ 17, highlighting the evenly contested match. The loss marked Holy Cross’ first loss within the CCAC, dropping them to a 2-1-1 record.
The team now turns its attention to Viterbo, another conference foe that they will face this upcoming Saturday. The Saints will travel north to La Crosse, Wisconsin to face off against the V-Hawks.
Viterbo comes into the match with an overall record of 5-2 and a CCAC record of 4-1. In conference, the V-Hawks have wins over Governors State, Indiana South Bend, Judson, and Trinity Christian, as well as a loss against St. Ambrose in their most recent affair. Viterbo finds itself alone in second place in the conference standings, one spot below St. Xavier. The V-Hawks possess a potent offense, scoring 21 goals in their 7 games, which ranks second in goals scored in the CCAC. This scoring has been done by a pair of freshmen in Brynlee Kelly and Paxten Bristol, who have scored 7 and 6 goals, respectively. This V-Hawk attack will surely provide a test for Juarez and the Saints’ backline.
Holy Cross will look to stay above even in conference play as they enter the final month of the 2025 season, heading up north to face the V-Hawks. The match will kick off Saturday at 1 p.m.
