MILWAUKEE – The Mount Mary University soccer team snapped a 13-game losing streak Sunday afternoon, battling to a 2-2 draw with heated crosstown rival Alverno at AC Soccer Field.
Freshman Micaela Gonzalez (Milwaukee, Wis./Brown Deer) recorded a three-point day with an unassisted goal and an additional assist, while freshman Crystal Peterson (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) notched her first career goal to spark the MMU offense.
The Blue Angels tallied 11 shots with five coming on goal. Sophomore Ashton Longazel (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) led the way with three, followed by two apiece from Peterson, freshman Cate Mitchell (Mazomanie, Wis./Wisconsin Heights), and freshman Mary Parlier (Milwaukee, Wis./Dominican).
Freshman Brianna Brown (San Diego, Calif./Herbert Hoover) recorded six saves, including a huge stop early in the game on one of three Alverno penalty kicks.
Aggressive off the opening kickoff, Gonzalez got things going early for Mount Mary by scoring her third goal of the season less than three minutes into the game. Collecting a bouncing ball deep in the Alverno box, the newcomer's left footer beat the AC keeper for the Blue Angels' second lead all season.
After Brown saved an Inferno PK in the 20th minute, the hosts would make good on their second attempt from the spot 10 minutes later to lock the game at 1-1 at the half.
The physical game continued into the second stanza as both teams jostled for control of the hotly contested matchup. The deadlock was momentarily broken in the 74th minute, as Gonzalez served a perfectly played ball from the left post to outside the 18, where Peterson one-timed it back toward the left post for her first career goal.
Finally, Alverno earned a third penalty kick off a wild play in the 82nd minute. Pressure from sophomore Dilli Kittner (Milwaukee, Wis./Torah Academy) on the Inferno offender eventually met Brown's sweep attempt, ending in a pile of bodies that saw AC tie the game up at 2-2.
Neither team mounted much of an attack in the final two 10-minute overtimes as both rivals had to settle for a tie.
Sunday's decision improved the MMU season record to 0-11-1 overall, snapping a 13-game losing streak dating back to the 2019 season. Alverno, meanwhile, moved to 2-6-1 on the year.
Mount Mary will be back in action Tuesday for a quick turnaround against Maranatha Baptist. The Blue Angels fell to the host Sabercats, 5-0, back on September 18. Game time for Tuesday's rematch is slated for 3:00 p.m. at MMU Soccer Field.
