Avila Rebounds by Blanking York

YORK, Neb. – Shaking off a tough game against a great Oklahoma Wesleyan team earlier in the week, Avila women's soccer (4-7-0, 4-2-0 KCAC) rebounded by shutting out York (3-6-1, 2-3-1 KCAC) in a tense 1-0 contest on Saturday afternoon in Nebraska.

It was a great response performance by the entire Avila squad, especially the defense, against an always scrappy York squad that had just won its previous game in convincing fashion. Avila has been rotating its goalkeepers all throughout the season, and this weekend was Olivia Seston's turn to slot back into the cage, and for the third straight start, she and her defense performed excellently: Seston stopped all five shots she faced en route to her third straight clean sheet, all against conference opponents.

Unlike in Seston's first conference start against McPherson, the offense didn't provide the defense with much wiggle room, but a single goal late in the first half was enough: in the 37^th minute, Maria Perez set up former junior college teammate Mia Yerian for her second goal of the season, and that put Avila in front for good.

Amaris Sigler forced two saves out of Harumi Cornejo, one in each half, to try to extend the lead, but even though York had the statistical edge in shots, corners and fouls, the Panthers were never able to solve Seston and the Avila defense – the Eagles won their fourth game in conference play to stay in the KCAC's top four with the halfway point of the campaign approaching next week.

Up next, Avila will make the trek west to Winfield, Kansas this Wednesday, October 4, to face off against Southwestern, a team currently in the bottom half of the conference standings. Women's soccer kicks off the doubleheader at 5:30 PM with the men to follow around 7:30; as always, you can watch all the action live on the KCAC Network.