ELSAH, Ill. – Freshman Alo Cervantes scored the first goal of her collegiate career on Friday evening, as the Alverno soccer team fell to the Principia Panthers by the score of 5-1.
The game got off to a very late start from the originally scheduled kickoff time due to numerous delays during the Principia-Rockford men's soccer game, which took place earlier in the evening on the Principia Soccer Field.
Cervantes scored in the 31st minute of the match for her first collegiate tally on an unassisted effort. In goal, classmate Kenzie Bermudez made six saves on the night including a penalty kick stop shortly after Alverno's goal. Sophomore Shaye Wolfe was able to put a shot on target but was denied.
Principia scored early in the match with a first-minute goal before adding two more in the opening 16 minutes. Bermudez as well as Alverno's defensive unit held the Panthers at bay over the ensuing four minutes with a pair of saves and two blocks.
After Bermudez registered a save in the 27th minute, Alverno flipped the field and took advantage of a Panther foul, which resulted in Cervantes' goal to trim the early deficit to 3-1.
Principia scored once late in the first half and added one more insurance goal early in the second half to close out the scoring at 5-1. The game was stopped after 70 minutes due to the weather and the late time of day following a near two-hour delay prior to the start of the match.
Alverno (0-1) will look ahead to Saturday's matchup versus Blackburn, beginning at 3 p.m. in Carlinville, Illinois. Last season, the Inferno downed the Beavers by a 2-1 score in Alverno's home opener on September 15.
