Saint Leo University Athletics

SAINT LEO, Fla. – The fourth-seed Saint Leo University women's soccer team opened postseason play for the first time since 2022. The Lions faced the same opponent that knocked them out of the 2022 tournament, the fifth-seed Embry-Riddle Eagles. Saint Leo sophomore midfielder Payton Gibney made the best of her second start this season and scored the game's lone goal in the 23rd minute. Sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Goetzer made five saves to turn in her seventh 90-minute clean sheet in 2024. Saint Leo improved its overall record to 9-4-5 while the Eagles bow out of the tournament with an overall record of 8-7-3. 

Saint Leo's attack was strong on the night registering 12 shots in the win including 10 in the second half. Ella Owen (5) and Katja May (4) combined for nine of the Lions' 12 shots. Gibney, Elise McDonald, and Alexia Spencer also registered shots in the victory. Owen tallied her third assist on the season and now leads the team with 17 points.    

(4) SAINT LEO 1, (5) EMBRY-RIDDLE 0

• Embry-Riddle came out strong registering a pair of on target shots in the first five minutes forcing Goetzer to make a pair of saves.
• May's lone shot of the first half came in the ninth minute as she sent a ball left off target.
• Five minutes after the Eagles sent a shot off target, the Lions capitalized on a scoring chance. As the Saint Leo attacked crashed the box Ella Owen sent a ball through the defending Eagles to heavily guarded Gibney that slotted a ball to the opposite post that hit the right spot to find the back of the net.
• The first half goal extended the Lions streak to four games with a first half goal.
• The goal was the final shot of the first half for the Lions but the Eagles registered three shots as Goezter made an impressive save in 38th minute to keep the visitors off the board.
• May attempted to get an insurance goal for the Lions as she sent a pair of shots off target, one to the right and one to the left.
• Saint Leo had a four-minute span whereas Ella Owen registered a trio of shots as one was on target and Alexia Spencer followed with an on target shot of her own in the 69th minute.
• Goetzer was forced to make a trio of saves over the final 15 minutes as the Eagles turned up the pressure of their attack. Luckily for the home team all three shots were sent right at Goetzer who easily made all three saves.
• In less than a minute, the visitors were awarded three consecutive corner kicks, however the Lions were able to keep the ball out of the net.
• In a last ditch effort to find the equalizer, the Eagles sent a shot over the top of the goal that allowed the Lions to advance to the next round of the SSC tournament with a 1-0 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Lions avenged a 3-2 loss to the Eagles in 2022 with a 1-0 win at home on Monday night.
• Saint Leo's win guarantees a new SSC tournament champion as it ended the Eagles quest for a fifth straight SSC tournament title.
• With a win on Thursday, the Lions have a chance to reach the title game for the fifth time in program history and the first since winning the 2016 title.
• Monday night's quarterfinal win over the Eagles improved Saint Leo's SSC tournament record to 9-10-3 in 14 years.

  
UP NEXT
Saint Leo advances to the semifinals of the 2024 Sunshine State Conference Women's Soccer tournament to take on the top-seed #12 Florida Tech. Kick off in Melbourne is scheduled for 7 p.m.