WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore Brook Steel scored her first goal of the season early in Saturday's game at Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium, but an equalizer by Holy Cross (0-5-4, 0-0-1 PL) in the final minutes gave American University women's soccer (1-1-5, 0-0-1 PL) a draw to open up its 2022 Patriot League slate.  
 
QUICK NOTABLES

• Steel's goal was her first of the season and fifth of her career.  
• Saturday's tie is the program's fifth draw this season, marking the first time since 2019 that the Eagles have battled to draws more than four times in a season.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Julia Kato recorded a season-high seven saves in Saturday's game.
• American also opened its Patriot League slate last season with a tie at Holy Cross. The Eagles and Crusaders battled to a 1-1 double overtime draw at Reeves on Sept. 18.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Holy Cross had the first shot of the game in the 3^rd minute but the ball went high to keep the game scoreless.
• American's first chance of the game to score came in the 11^th minute, off a shot by senior Sylvie Prepetit. Her shot was scooped up by the Crusaders' goalkeeper.
• Steel found the back of the net for the Eagles' first Patriot League goal of the season in the 15^th minute to give them the early 1-0 lead.
• Steel had another chance to tally her second goal of the game less than a minute later, but her shot went high.
• Holy Cross had its last chance in the first half to even the score, sending the ball to Kato who made the save to keep American in the lead heading into halftime.  
• The Eagles' defense held strong early in the second half, not allowing the Crusaders to take a shot until 10 minutes into the half.
• Holy Cross evened the score in the 88^th minute.
• Senior Cailin Panacek tried to put in a last minute game-winning goal for American in the final minute, but the Crusaders' goalkeeper made the stop to end the game in a 1-1 draw.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• American outshot Holy Cross, 5-4, in the first half.
• Kato and sophomore Giuliana Capraro played all 90 minutes of action. Capraro has now played every single minute of every game this season.
• Two yellow cards were handed out in the game, one to American and one to Holy Cross.

UP NEXT

• American returns home on Wednesday, Sept. 21 for a home game against Bucknell. The game is set for a 4 p.m. start.
• The Eagles will then stay at home for a 1 p.m. game on Sunday against Lafayette. Sunday's game is the program's Youth Soccer Day with a free post game clinic open to all children 8^th grade and younger 

KEEP UP WITH US

• For the latest on American University Women's Soccer, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WSoccer), Facebook (AU.WSoccer) and Instagram (@au.wsoccer).