Kansas City, Mo. – The Bulldogs hit the road Sunday for an afternoon matchup with the Avila University Eagles. McPherson looked to build on their recent win against York, while Avila aimed to snap an eight-game winless streak.
The Basics
Location: Zarda Multiport Complex
Score: MC 0, AU 1
Records: MC 6-7-3 (KCAC 4-6-1), AU 6-5-6 (KCAC 4-2-6)
How it Happened
Avila threatened early, forcing an opening save from goalkeeper Emily Singletary. McPherson quickly responded when Taylor Duvall broke free on goal, but her shot was stopped by the Eagles’ keeper. Both sides continued to battle for possession throughout the first half, trading chances without breaking through. The Bulldogs’ best opportunity came in the 39th minute when Gracie Speltz fired a long-range effort that skidded off the top of the crossbar. The score remained knotted at 0-0 heading into halftime.
Singletary was tested early in the second half, turning away three quick shots from the Eagles. McPherson’s first quality look after the break came in the 70th minute, when Duvall connected with a pass from Ayden Jones, forcing another save out of Avila. The game remained evenly matched deep into the final minutes.
In the 89th minute, Duvall was shown a yellow card for a hard challenge outside of the box. On the ensuing free kick, Avila’s Lauren Shrout found the back of the net to give the Eagles the late lead.
Despite a final push, the Bulldogs were unable to find the equalizer, falling 1-0 on the late goal.
Up Next
McPherson heads to Salina, Kansas on Wednesday to face Kansas Wesleyan University. Kickoff is set for 5:00 PM.
