CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University women's soccer team stunned Walsh University on Tuesday night 2-1. The Pioneers fell behind quickly after they allowed a goal, but Malone answered with a pair of scores in the closing minutes. It is the first victory against Walsh at home for the Pioneers since 2015.
 
The win puts Malone at 7-4-1 and 5-4-1 inside the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Walsh falls to 6-4-1 and 3-4-1 (G-MAC) with the loss.
 
The big storyline of the evening was a new face in goal: senior Ava Ciampa (1-0-0). She was able to make seven saves in her first career start for the team. "That is an incredibly difficult thing to do to as a senior," Head Coach Bailey Shattell mentioned post-game. "The whole team rallied around her and I think she was fueled by that energy. To me, she was the player of the game for her mental resiliency."
 
The Cavaliers peppered the net with shot attempts, including four in the first five minutes of play. The Cavaliers broke through for the game's first goal in the eighth minute. The Pioneers showed some late life in the period, but overall Walsh controlled the ball for most of the first. Walsh outshot Malone 8-3 in the frame, but the second half would flip.
 
Senior Madison Woodward forced the Cavalier defense to make a save in the 54th minute. A corner kick was sent into the box and the defender made the save by clearing it out. A pair of attempts by freshman Morgan Kandel and sophomore Gracie Ashton were just wide of the net after that, but both were plays that could have drawn even.
 
The opportunity would finally present itself in the 83rd minute. Ashton put one on net and off the rebound, freshman Eliza Wills deposited it into the back of the net. In the 84th minute, the Pioneers took the lead in dramatic fashion. Junior Brynn Mowrer found freshman Kandel for a shot inside and the ball bounced off the keeper and into the back of the net.
 
"There was a drive from each and every player," the senior Woodward stated. "We had good energy across the board to get the win. We came out in the second half with an attack mentality that is something that is very special with this group."
 
At match's end, the shot total looks similar with a 12-10 edge to Walsh. The Cavaliers took slightly more corner kicks at 5-3. Kandel and Ashton led the team with three shots apiece. Ciampa, Woodward and junior Hannah Hubbard played all 90 minutes for the team.
 
Up next, Malone remains at home versus the University of Findlay on Saturday, October 19. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:00 P.M.