Pettlon's Late Goal Lifts Avila to Draw

BETHANY, Okla. – For the second time this season, Avila women's soccer trailed by a goal at halftime to a non-conference opponent. And for the second time this season, a goal in the final few minutes flipped the script for the Eagles. On Saturday afternoon against Southwestern Christian (1-2-1), it was Morgan Pettlon's turn to play hero: her goal with about three minutes left in regulation lifted Avila (0-3-2) to a 2-2 draw.

The first time the Eagles poached a tie thanks to a late goal it was courtesy of Amaris Sigler, and it was Sigler who got the scoring started against the Eagles of SCU, blasting a cratering beauty of a shot from well outside the top right corner of the box and into the back of the net to put the visitors on top inside of six minutes in.

Avila goalkeeper Kenan Ebel was tested once again in this game, and she had to come up big multiple times: she was credited with three saves in the span of two minutes midway through the first half to keep Avila in front. Shortly after that, however, Southwestern Christian found its breakthrough, and shortly after that, the homestanding Eagles struck again. Harlie Findley set up Riley Stanfill for the tying goal in the 35^th minute, and 90 seconds later, that duo combined again to give SCU its first lead of the day, 2-1.

And that is how the scoreline would stand for the next 50 minutes of game time. Stanfill came close to scoring her hat trick early in the second half but couldn't put another shot on target. Still trailing by one, Avila continued to push until the Eagles finally had their equalizer. With time running out, Kirryn Killingsworth expertly played Pettlon into the box with a touch pass past a few defenders, and Pettlon got enough on the shot to force it through a sliding Eagle defender and into the net, tying the score with almost exactly three minutes to go.

Suddenly energized, the Avila Eagles did not let up. After each team picked up yellow cards shortly after the goal, Avila threatened to score a late winner and win the match outright. Pettlon was once again right in the thick of things, but Southwestern Christian keeper Celeste Lucio denied two separate Pettlon shots in the final three minutes, stymying Avila's late bid and preserving the 2-2 draw for both sides. Lucio made four saves, and Ebel finished with five, bringing her season total up to 35, a top 15 mark in the country.

Up next for Avila women's soccer is the Eagles' first home doubleheader of the 2022 season alongside the Avila men. The Eagles will welcome in Harris-Stowe to The Z this Wednesday, September 14 for the final match before conference play begins this weekend against Bethel. The Eagle women will kick off at 2 PM on Wednesday with the men to follow around 4 PM. As always, you can watch the match live on the Avila Sports Network.