Pettlon, Ebel Power Eagles Past Panthers
YORK, Neb. – Powered by superb offense from Morgan Pettlon and excellent goalkeeping from Kenan Ebel, Avila women's soccer (4-8-5, 4-5-2 KCAC) picked up a crucial conference victory with a comfortable 4-1 win over York (1-13-1, 1-9-0 KCAC) on Friday afternoon in Nebraska.
It came admittedly at the expense of one of the last-place teams in the KCAC, but with the Eagles fully in need of a victory Friday, this was a very welcome result for Katie LaForge's squad. The Eagles set new season highs in goals and margin of victory and picked up a win that kept them just inside the top eight of the KCAC standings with only a week of the regular season still to play.
The Eagle offense got things going early Friday when Hannah Coates, who has been given more playing time of late in reward for some recent good form, slammed in her first goal of the season on a cross from Morgan Pettlon less than five minutes into the game. Both Ebel and her counterpart Alexa Moreno were active early, combining for seven saves in the first half to prevent any further tallies.
Pettlon scored her first of the game in the 51st minute on a breakaway before doubling her tally and extending Avila's lead to 3-0 in the 74th minute. Ebel was outstanding in the second half, at one point making three saves in the span of exactly 60 seconds, and making every effort to preserve the clean sheet before Nora Martin-Mora finally broke through 61 seconds after Pettlon's second goal to get the Panthers on the board.
Avila drew up an immediate response on the ensuing re-kick, marching right down the field and into the attacking third. There, Kirryn Killingsworth launched a shot from way downtown, over top of a cheating Moreno and into the back of the net. 41 seconds after York's tally, Avila's three-goal lead was restored, and that was all that was needed. Ebel made one more save in the final five minutes to bring her total up to an even 12, one off her season high, to lock up the 4-1 Avila win.
Pettlon's five points were a new season high, and her first goal of the day was her first game-winning goal of the season. It's the first time this year she's scored multiple goals, and the second time in the last three matches she's factored into multiple scores. She and Killingsworth once again are locked atop the team leaderboard with eight goals this season, tied for 11th in the KCAC and tied for 8th among all players who don't play for Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Avila's win combined with Bethel's loss Saturday keeps the Eagles in the No. 8 spot in the KCAC standings – in a league where the top eight teams make the postseason field. Avila has its annual bye coming up this midweek, meaning the Eagles can only watch to see what other league teams do before they return to the field for one final crucial game against rivals Bethany next Saturday, October 29 at The Z. It will be Senior Day for both Avila soccer teams, with the women set to kick off at noon and the men to follow around 2:30. As always, admission to both games at The Z is free; and you can watch all the action live on the Avila Sports Network with Tim Hackett on the call.
