JOLIET, Ill. -- The University of St. Francis women's soccer team saw its three-game unbeaten streak come to an end Saturday night following a 2-1 loss to St. Ambrose University (Iowa).  In a contest that showcased aggressive play from both sides, St. Ambrose was able to pull ahead after trailing 1-0 by authoring two goals in a six-minute stretch midway through the first period.  The loss marks the first defeat for the Fighting Saints in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play and drops the team to 5-2-2 overall, and 2-1-1 in league play.

First Half
Even though St. Ambrose (4-5-1, 2-1-1 CCAC) initiated the opening attack with the first shot of the match two minutes into play, the Saints answered just over a minute later when Andrea Aguirre intercepted a throw in deep into St. Francis' pitch and immediately pushed the ball ahead to find Isabel Diez near midfield.  Noticing that the quick transition caught SAU keeper Jonna Tucker out of her net near the 30-yard line, Diez fired a shot from 40 yards out which allowed the ball to beat Tucker in race back to the goal line to put the Saints ahead 1-0.   SAU responded by taking the next seven shots of the match before later connecting for the equalizer at the 26:04 mark.   The Bees continued to maintain control of the ball thereafter, securing the majority of possessions over the next six minutes, and eventually grabbed the lead in the 32nd minute when SAU's Sophia Roszkowski found the back of the USF net, sending the Bees into locker room with a 2-1 lead.

Second Half
In the second stanza, while St. Ambrose continued to apply offensive pressure, USF keeper Giselle Mata and the Saints' defense remained strong.  The Bees were able to target USF's goal five times, with Mata shutting the door on each attempt.  USF's best looks in the period came from Kelly Flores and Litzy Flores, with the former almost tying the match after a shot off a free kick hit off the crossbar in the 49th minute, and the latter just missing high over the net on an open look in the 65th minute. 

SAU finished the match outshooting the Saints 27-13.  St. Francis was led offensively by Kelly Flores, who recorded a team-high four shot attempts, while Litzy Flores, Citlali Perez and Diez each authored two shots apiece. In between the pipes, Mata recorded a match-high nine saves.

Up Next
USF returns to action on Wednesday (Oct. 1) when it travels to Notre Dame, Ind. to take on Holy Cross College.  Opening kickoff is scheduled for 6 pm CST at Saints Field.

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