LIVONIA, Mich. – Madonna University women's soccer delivered a Senior Day to remember on Saturday, rallying for a 3-2 upset victory over No. 17 Taylor University at MU Soccer and Lacrosse Field.
The Crusaders entered the matchup looking to celebrate their seniors with a statement performance against one of the nation's ranked teams. Madonna did exactly that, overcoming a 2-1 halftime deficit before scoring twice in the second half to secure the upset.
Madonna wasted little time making its presence felt. Just 3:18 into the match,
Lillian Hayter opened the scoring, finishing a chance set up by
Canses Gibson to give the Crusaders an early 1-0 advantage.
Taylor responded in the 29th minute when Sydney Reddy found the back of the net off an assist from Meskerem James. The Trojans then took their first lead of the afternoon just before halftime, as Leilani Bisera scored at 44:54 with an assist from Lydia Bailey, sending Taylor into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
The Crusaders came out of halftime determined to turn the match around. After creating several opportunities early in the second half, Madonna finally found the equalizer in the 76th minute.
Eva Parker scored her first goal of the afternoon off a pass from
Marlena Ballnik, bringing the match level at 2-2.
With momentum firmly on its side, Madonna continued to pressure the Taylor defense. The breakthrough came with just 1:15 remaining in regulation.
At 88:45, Gibson delivered the decisive goal, converting a chance assisted by
Chelsey Chambless to put the Crusaders ahead 3-2. Madonna's defense held strong through the final moments to complete the comeback and secure the upset.
The Crusaders finished with 11 shots, putting eight on frame, while Taylor recorded 11 shots and nine shots on goal.
Grace McCormick made seven saves in goal for Madonna, helping preserve the victory.
Gibson led Madonna's offensive attack with a goal and an assist, while Parker contributed a goal and Hayter added a goal of her own. Chambless and Ballnik each recorded an assist.
The victory was particularly meaningful as Madonna celebrated Senior Day, honoring the Crusaders' senior class before taking the field against the No. 17 Trojans.
Madonna improves to 3-4-0 on the season with the victory, while Taylor falls to 5-1-1.
The Crusaders will look to carry the momentum from Saturday's upset into their next match on Wendesay, September 16, 2026 when they travel to Mishawaka, IN and take on the Pilots of Bethel University. This matchup will be set to start at 3:00 PM at Morey Field.
