Following a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Viterbo on Saturday, the Holy Cross College women’s soccer team kept the momentum going with a
dominant 5-0 performance against Mount Mary on Tuesday. The clash marked the first-ever meeting between the two sides. After the victory, Holy Cross’s record moved to 6-5-1 overall, while Mount Mary fell to 0-10 on the season.
The game started off quickly, with multiple shots on goal from Holy Cross. Pressure continued to mount on the Blue Angels, who were unable to get the ball out of their half. Mount Mary’s defense was able to stave off the Holy Cross barrage until freshman Quinn Pankiewicz assisted junior forward Miriam Iturriaga-Sanchez in the 29th minute, opening the floodgates.
The Saints extended their lead with a goal by sophomore defender Sofia Brodar in the 37th minute, courtesy of Iturriaga-Sanchez. Holy Cross managed 15 shots on goal in the first half, compared to zero for Mount Mary, marking a dominant first 45 for the home team.
Holy Cross wasted no time and opened up the second-half scoresheet in the 47th minute, when senior midfielder Annabella Alfreda assisted senior forward Mia Garatoni. A Mount Mary penalty inside the 18-yard box gave junior Frances Parks a chance to bolster the lead, which she did with some relish, tucking the ball into the back of the net.
The Saints closed out the scoring in the 67th minute, when Garatoni assisted junior Midfielder Erika Perez, final score 5-0. Holy Cross ended the game with 45 shots. Pankiewicz led the offense with eight shots, including four on goal, while the defense kept things tidy and allowed zero shots on goal for the night, along with only three fouls. Five different Saints players got on the scoresheet, and the four assists also came from different players, marking a well-rounded game for the team. Mount Mary freshman goalkeeper Anna Corpas Salcedo led the Blue Angels on defense with 16 saves on the night.
The Saints travel to Illinois on Saturday, where they take on Saint Xavier, currently 5-3-4. The match will prove pivotal for both squads, as Holy Cross tries to break .500 for the first time this season, and as Saint Xavier tries to improve on its seven-game unbeaten streak. The match kicks off at 6 p.m. at Deaton Field.
