The Benedictine Mesa women's soccer team fought with grit and determination but came up short in a 4-2 loss against OUAZ.

The game opened with heavy pressure from OUAZ, as goalkeeper Nenna Ford made multiple early saves to keep the score even. Despite her strong effort, OUAZ broke through in the 16th minute when Maria Juarez scored the opening goal to put the Spirit ahead 1-0.

The Redhawks wasted no time answering back. Just minutes later, Brylee Rod delivered a corner kick into the box where Rylee Hatcher finished with precision, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute. Benedictine's attack continued to test the OUAZ defense, with shots from Hatcher, Paula Gonzalez Castro, and Dahlia Alonso, but goalkeeper Chloe Avila stood firm.

Tensions rose late in the half as OUAZ picked up multiple yellow cards, and Benedictine went down a player after a red card was issued. The Spirit capitalized just before halftime when JoJo Smith, assisted by Faith Rana, scored to regain the lead at 2-1 heading into the break.

Benedictine came out resilient in the second half, with goalkeeper Tatum Lally making crucial saves to keep her team within striking distance. The Redhawks found their equalizer in the 69th minute when Brylee Rod netted a goal to make it 2-2, bringing the momentum back on their side.

However, OUAZ responded quickly and decisively. In the 82nd minute, Rachel Greksa scored off an assist from Desiree Dutra to restore the Spirit's advantage, and just moments later, Kylie Walker added another to extend the lead to 4-2.

Despite late efforts from the Redhawks' attack, OUAZ's defense held strong to secure the victory.

Key Players

• Rylee Hatcher: 1 goal, 2 shots
• Brylee Rod: 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots

Looking Ahead
The Redhawks return to action on Tuesday, October 7, when they host La Sierra for Senior Night.