(Glendale, AZ) The Park University Gilbert women’s soccer team ended its non-conference season with a 2-2 tie with Arizona Christian at ACU Football Field.
After winning its opener against Oregon Tech, the Buccaneers enter the Cal Pac season with a 1-2-1 record. This is the first time the Buccaneers have scored a goal against the Firestorm having lost the last two matches to ACU 6-0 both times. This is the first time these two teams had met since September of the 2021 season.
Park Gilbert fell behind early as Firestorm forward Justyne Underwood scored twice in just under three minutes to give ACU an early 2-0 which they would take into halftime.
Both teams had their opportunities in the first half as Park had six shots, three of them on goal, while ACU had nine shots (five on goal) over the first 45 minutes. The first half also had physicality as each team received yellow cards (2-1 Park) and combined for nine fouls (5-4 Park).
The second half saw the Bucs come out with purpose as they had three corner kick set pieces within the first five minutes of the second stanza but were unable to convert it into a goal.
The Bucs pressure finally paid dividends as junior Emma Alvarez continued her torrid start to the season scoring her third and fourth goals at 61:55 and 64:20.
Both teams continued their offensive onslaught, as the Bucs took over the shot lead on the Firestorm 11-10 before ACU came back with six unanswered shots of its own. Alvarez broke the streak with her fifth shot of the day with just under five minutes to go on a set piece pass from Dani Mares.
It became a back and forth affair late as both teams attempted to get the go ahead tally. ACU had a shot on Park goalkeeper Catherine Corlett with two minutes to go and Michelle Munozhad one last shot for the Bucs with about 40 seconds to go.
The Buccaneers had four players with multiple shots in the contest and two players (Alvarez and Alexandra White) with multiple shots on goal. Corlett was brilliant in goal turning away seven of nine Firestorm shots on goal.
The Buccaneers now have nine days off before the start of the Cal Pac Conference season on September 7 at Soka University. The announced start time is 7:30 p.m. The Buccaneers won 2-0 last year at the Legacy Sports Complex.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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