Avila Drops Home Opener Against Dordt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Despite a strong bid for a second-half rally, Avila could not overcome a halftime deficit against Dordt, and the Defenders (1-0-0) fended off the Eagles' (0-3-0) late surge to escape The Z with a 3-1 victory on Saturday afternoon.

A crowd of close to 400 – the largest in recent Avila Soccer history – filled the hill at The Zarda Family Multisport Complex to watch the Eagles play in Kansas City for the first home event of the 2023-24 academic calendar, and everyone in attendance was treated to entertaining, well-contested game. The story of the game was simple: the Defenders notably averaged exactly three goals per game in the 2022 season, and, in their first game of the 2023 season, scored exactly three goals, a mark that proved to be too much for the Eagles to overcome.

But it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. After Dordt's Joslyn Terpstra scored a pair of goals – one in the final ten minutes of the first half and another in the first ten of the second half – to put her team in front, the Eagles began to generate legitimate chances to try to come back in the game. First, though, Dordt nearly put the game out of reach for good, but Natalie Cohoon missed a penalty and minutes later Abby Foster missed the net on a breakaway to keep the score 2-0 with about 15 minutes to play.

The Eagles immediately capitalized on those mistakes. Not long after Dordt elected to not use a forward to attempt the penalty, the Eagles won a foul in the box at the other end and Katie LaForge's squad tapped senior forward Megan Nugent to take the spot kick. She made no mistake, slotting the shot into the lower right corner for the Eagles' first goal of the season, giving the team new life in the 79^th minute.

But just a few minutes after that, the Defenders won another penalty kick, and this time Ellie Stuart cashed in, restoring the two-goal lead with five minutes to play. Avila didn't go quietly however, and true to their name, the Defenders had to make a pair of clutch plays to keep their lead intact. Defender Hayden Jennett laid out to make a save on a point-blank bid from Annika Holtorf, and in the final two minutes, goalkeeper Jenna Wright made her best stop of the night, a quick reaction save to rob Maddylen Farris right in front of goal. Two legitimate scoring chances didn't go the Eagles' way, and that was enough for Dordt to hold on to a 3-1 victory on the road.

Up next, Avila makes the short trip north to Parkville, Missouri to face local foes Park on Wednesday night. The men's game will kick off first at 5 PM with the women to follow at 7:30; for details on how to watch and follow along, stay tuned to Avila Athletics on social media as well as avilaathletics.com.