In a tense first half, Benedictine Mesa and OUAZ traded close scoring opportunities, heading into halftime locked in a scoreless tie. Benedictine's offense got an early start, with Cahryn Rod's shot just 34 seconds in, saved by OUAZ's Chloe Avila. Goalkeeper Josephine Cisneros held steady for Benedictine, making several crucial saves, including a key stop on OUAZ's Brooke Bentley in the first minute and later denying Lexy Rowe in the 36th.
Benedictine continued pressing to break the deadlock, with Brylee Rod and Hannah Wood each attempting shots that narrowly missed. At the 17-minute mark, Julia Bodelasse added pressure with a well-placed corner kick, though it didn't yield a goal. OUAZ came close late in the half when Miranda Pena hit the post, but Benedictine's defense held strong. Offensive substitutions, including Dahlia Alonso and Anais Valle, kept up the attack, with Alonso's shot just missing wide right at the 34-minute mark. As OUAZ threatened again with a corner kick in the closing minutes, Benedictine's defense remained resilient, and the teams entered the break still scoreless.
The intensity ramped up in the second half, as both teams fought to gain the advantage. Benedictine's defense stood strong, with Cisneros making a critical save against Lexy Rowe in the 51st minute. However, OUAZ broke through in the 59th with a goal from Karissa Frerichs. Benedictine responded with a series of substitutions, bringing on fresh legs like Alexis Abbott and Anais Valle to press forward.
Despite Benedictine's determined push, OUAZ maintained pressure. Cisneros kept her team in the game with several saves, including stops against Tala Tapia and Amanda Witkowski. In the 70th minute, Maya Shearon took a shot to even the score, but it sailed high. Benedictine continued attacking, with Julia Bodelasse and Mellysa Galiz both putting shots on goal, but OUAZ's goalie, LJ Hempel, remained solid. As OUAZ picked up multiple fouls and yellow cards, Benedictine seized every opportunity to regain momentum but couldn't find the equalizer before the final whistle. The game ended with OUAZ narrowly edging Benedictine Mesa in a hard-fought match.
Key Individual Performances:
The Benedictine Mesa Women's Soccer season has concluded. The Redhawks fought through a challenging season with resilience, hard work, and grace, embodying the spirit of the Redhawk family.
