Box Score Grand Rapids, Mich. – Defense continues to be a staple for the Aquinas women's soccer team, and they displayed that prowess once again Wednesday night against crosstown rival Cornerstone. The Saints didn't surrender a goal for the second straight match and have only allowed two goals in their last six matches.
Aquinas 1, Cornerstone 0
With Madonna already securing the top seed for the upcoming WHAC tournament, positioning among the other top contenders continued as Aquinas took a major step in securing a quarterfinal home match with an important road win against its biggest rival.
Behind a second-half goal from Reegyn Cady, and another sparkling defensive effort, the Saints placed themselves securely in a tie for second place in the WHAC.
A quiet and defensive-minded first half produced a combined five shots between two teams.
In the 13th minute, Julia Grzadkowska had a shot on target, but it was denied by Cornerstone keeper Corinne McGlassion.
Bella Berry also had a scoring chance in the 22nd minute.
The Saints ramped up the pressure in the second half and it paid off after a defensive miscue by the Golden Eagles in the 65th minute.
An attempt to clear the ball with a header was unsuccessful and it fell into the waiting feet of Cady, who took two steps and buried a long shot over the head of the keeper and into the left corner.
The goal gave the Saints a 1-0 lead and remained that way until the final whistle.
Khloe Koelling racked up three shot attempts in the final five minutes to try and extend the advantage.
Aquinas survived a near goal by Cornerstone in the 83rd minute off a shot that hit the crossbar and caromed away from the net.
The Saints stayed unbeaten in WHAC play at 5-0-3 and improved to 8-3-3 overall, while Cornerstone dropped to 4-4 in the WHAC and 7-6-1 overall.
Aquinas is currently tied with Lawrence Tech in the standings with one match remaining. Each team has 18 points, four points behind first-place Madonna.
Saints Snapshots
- Goalkeeper Claire Fogarty didn't face a shot on goal despite Cornerstone recording nine shots.
- Reegyn Cady, Bella Berry, Julia Grzadkowska and Khloe Koelling produced one shot on goal each for Aquinas.
- Cady's goal was her team-leading fifth of the season and third game winner.
- The Saints haven't lost a match since Sept. 5 against Taylor and extended their unbeaten streak to 10.
Coach's Comments
Head coach Mario Zuniga-Gil was impressed by the defense as it erased any quality scoring opportunities: "I think we managed their style very well and we've been really consistent defensively in the toughest stretch of the season. We were really good in possession and there were moments when we were really fluid and connected. Credit to Reegyn for hitting a really good goal to win the game. We've grown so much from the 1-3 start and we're on a really good streak. They've been committed to getting better every day and how much they have invested in everything they do has been rewarded with good results."
Up Next
The Saints conclude the regular season Saturday at Madonna, which has already wrapped up the regular-season WHAC championship as it sits at 7-0-1 entering both team's final match. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. The WHAC tournament begins Oct. 31 with the top eight teams competing in the quarterfinals. Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live statistics and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas women's soccer and all other Saints sports.
NOTE: Dean Holzwarth, serving as the Senior AQSaints Athletics Reporter & Content Specialist for AQSaints.com, brings decades of journalistic precision and storytelling flair to the Saints' media efforts. He's covered high school sports for 11 years at Grand Rapids–based WOOD-TV, following a 16-year tenure in sports reporting with the Grand Rapids Press and MLive. He also writes monthly high school features for the MHSAA website. His deep experience in capturing the heartbeat of local athletics now fuels his engaging coverage of Aquinas College sports.
