CHICAGO – The Saint Xavier University women's soccer team (0-0-1, 0-0 CCAC) started their 2025 season with a 3-3 draw against No. 10 ranked Spring Arbor University Saturday afternoon at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. Despite being limited to only four shots on goal, SXU converted on three of them and led in the 71^st minute, 3-2, before SAU tallied the game-tying goal. The visiting Cougars outshot the host Cougars by a 31-4 margin. Junior goalkeeper Natalie Dybas (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) was stellar in net for Saint Xavier, collecting a career-high 14 saves, her first match with 10 or more saves in her collegiate career.

• Junior forward Alex Jonaitis (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) scored her first goal of the season, finishing with two shots on goal in 84 minutes.
• Senior midfielder Hailey Henry (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah Community) recorded a breakaway goal on her lone shot attempt while playing all 90 minutes.
• Graduate student forward Maddie Manzke (Orland Park, Ill./Keiser/Webber International/Warner/Sandburg) picked up assist in her return to the Southside after playing as an undergrad at three NAIA Florida programs. She also logged a full 90 minutes on the pitch.
• Freshman defender Kalea Marshall (Carbondale, Ill./Carbondale Community) had a shot on goal off a corner kick in her collegiate debut.
• Jonaitis put the host Cougars up 1-0 in the 11^th minute as she and Manzke raced down the right side of the field with Manzke sending a pass to Jonaitis that she converted for the early lead.
• In the 19^th minute, Manzke rushed the net and had the ball knocked away by the goalkeeper, however the ball deflected off of a visiting Cougars defender for an 'Own Goal' to put SXU up 2-0.
• Spring Arbor scored just before halftime in the 41^st minute on a shot from the left side of Dybas.
• The score remained the same until Henry broke free near midfield and raced down the right side of the pitch and slipped a shot past the goalkeeper to extend the advantage to 3-1 in the 71^st minute.
• SAU responded on the next possession just 47 seconds later in the 72^nd minute on another shot from the left side.
• A converted penalty kick by the visiting Cougars in the 83^rd minute squared the match at 3-3.

Saint Xavier (0-0-1/0-0 CCAC) returns to action on Saturday, August 30 when they travel to Dubuque, Iowa to play Clarke University (Iowa) in a non-conference contest. The match is slated for a 3:30 pm start.