Eagles Drop Road Contest with Ravens

ATCHISON, Kan. – Avila struck twice through a pair of nice goals, one in each half, but the Eagles (0-5-0) were unable to withstand an early offensive onslaught from (RV) Benedictine, and the Ravens ultimately ran away with a 10-2 victory at home on Wednesday night.

Goalkeeper Olivia Seston and the Eagle defense were under siege very early on Wednesday, with the Ravens continuously sending in probing passes, crosses and shots towards the Avila cage before Rachel Beffa finally broke through and got the Ravens on the board in the 19^th minute. Three other Ravens scored over the next 15 minutes of action to put the home team up 4-0.

Scoring goals directly off corner kicks is very rare, but now Avila women's soccer has accomplished that two games in a row, and both have come courtesy of first-year forwards. After Nikkole Wood scored off a Megan Nugent corner in Avila's last game against Park, on this night Isabel Javier's corner careened off a body and fell to Joselyn Clark, who punched home her first collegiate goal to get the Eagles on the board in the 35^th minute.

If the Ravens were affected by Avila's opening salvo, they did not show it. Instead, Benedictine answered with a goal a couple of minutes later and struck for another in the final minute of the first half, making the score 6-1 at the intermission.

The Ravens then followed the same game script and tacked on four more goals – three of which came from Beffa – in the first 25 minutes of the second half. Avila pulled one back when Nugent won a one-on-one battle along the right sideline and ripped a shot from way outside the box that sent Raven goalkeeper Mackenzie Korzenecki sprawling backwards – she got a paw to it but was unable to keep it out, giving Nugent her second goal of the season and the Eagles their second of the night.

But the Benedictine offense was by far the biggest story as the Ravens cruised to a 10-2 win. Beffa finished with four goals and an assist, and both Faith Lewis and Payton Vogelbacher scored twice. Seston was the first Eagle goalie to play a full 90 minutes this season and tallied a season-high eight saves.

Up next, Avila has a little bit of time off before the most important part of the season begins: the Eagles will begin KCAC competition starting next week when conference newcomers Evangel come to town to take on Avila at The Z next Wednesday, September 13. The women kick off the doubleheader at 2 PM CT with the men to follow at 4:30; as always, admission to games at The Z is free, and you can watch all the action wherever you are on the Avila Sports Network.