Grand Rapids, Mich. - The #9 Aquinas women's soccer team played an NAIA National Tournament game on its home field for the first time in program history on Saturday (Nov. 18). A cool, sunny afternoon in front of a terrific crowd was the backdrop for a 3-1 victory for the Saints over Saint Ambrose (Iowa). AQ advances to the NAIA National Tournament final site for the third year in a row.

Saturday's rematch between Aquinas and (RV) Saint Ambrose - the Saints defeated the Bees 4-1 in Grand Rapids on Sept. 2 - was technically an NAIA Tournament second round game, as each team enjoyed a bye on Thursday, when the tournament officially kicked off. The victory puts Aquinas at 16-0-4 on the year, while Saint Ambrose's season ends at 15-5.

AQ scored first, took a 2-1 lead to halftime, and added an important insurance goal early in the second half to improve to 8-0-3 at home this season. It is the fifth consecutive year the Saints have advanced to the NAIA National Tournament and the fourth year in a row that AQ has won a game in national postseason play.

There was very little action in the opening 15 minutes of Saturday's contest, with Saint Ambrose taking both shots during that timeframe. AQ's first shot of the game found the back of the net. Sydney Shenk played a ball into the box from the right side, which was popped up in the air by a Bees defender. The SAU keeper was unable to corral the ball and Brittney Probst was in perfect position for the Saints. She quickly knocked it into the goal for the early 1-0 lead at the 15:30 mark of the half. 

It was Probst's sixth goal of the year and Shenk's seventh assist.

Saint Ambrose's next shot tied the game. At the 28:48 mark, Kaitlyn Brunson registered her 16th goal of the year, slipping one past the Aquinas defense to knot the contest at 1-1.

The Saints responded less than five minutes later to regain the lead. It started with a deep strike from the left side of the field by Emily Gignac, which was punched away by SAU's Rachel Willette. The Bees tried to clear the ball, but Ariana Garcia stepped in and kept possession for AQ. She made a quick pass on the right side to Maeva Lichtensteiger, who fired from outside the box and high into the net over a diving Willette. Lichtensteiger's ninth goal gave Aquinas a 2-1 lead it would not relinquish.

AQ outshot Saint Ambrose 9-3 in the first 45 minutes and led 3-0 in corners.

Identical to the first half, Aquinas scored on its first shot of the second half, netting an insurance goal at the 47:45 mark to take the 3-1 lead. Probst crossed a ball from the right side into the box towards teammate Macy Hollingsworth, among a crowd of SAU defenders. Hollingsworth helped guide the ball into the net for her seventh tally of the season. 

It was a much-needed goal to give AQ some breathing room, as Saint Ambrose outshot the Saints 11-5 in the second half. While the Bees attempted 14 shots in the game (matching Aquinas' total of 14), goalkeeper Kayla Shuk needed to make just one save to preserve the victory. She improves to 16-0-2 on the year in net.

Garcia, Shenk, Probst, Hollingsworth, Olivia Bowling, and Madison Slezinski all took two shots apiece, with Garcia and Probst notching two shots on goal each. 

Aquinas led 6-4 in corner kicks. There were 16 fouls called on AQ, with 10 on Saint Ambrose.

The #9 Saints advance to the 16-team bracket in Foley, Ala. after Thanksgiving. Aquinas will match up in the round of 16 with #8 John Brown (Ark.) on Monday (Nov. 27), with game time to still be determined.

The quarterfinals are on Thursday, Nov. 30, followed by the semifinals and finals on Dec. 2-4.