DAVIS, Calif. – It was a hot evening on Thursday night in Davis as Saint Mary's battled the UC Davis Aggies. 
 
Saint Mary's came into Thursday night looking to build upon their 2-1 win against Idaho State over the weekend, and they did just that thanks to a second half goal by Emily Jensen and a gutsy defensive performance.
 
WEATHERING THE STORM
Saint Mary's looked to cool off the red-hot Aggies who've started their 2023 campaign with two straight wins.
 
It was a busy opening ten minutes for the Gaels, as goalkeeper Taylor Poland was called into action early to make a few tricky saves. 
 
Davis made life difficult for Saint Mary's early on, not allowing the Gaels get comfortable and retain possession. 
 
The first sight of goal for Saint Mary's came 17 minutes when Briana Salvetti lofted in a left footed cross towards Tessa Savestrin. Salvestrin made an attempt to stab at the ball, but the Aggies defender positioned herself well to shut down the chance. 
 
Salvestrin had another great effort on goal in the 20^th minute, as she cut inside to put the ball on her right foot before letting off a powerful shot that glanced wide of the post. 
 
Saint Mary's did well to weather the early pressure from the Aggies inside the opening 30 minutes, as the Gaels quickly found themselves growing into the match and making Davis uncomfortable. 
 
Emma Barthel and Emily Jensen did a great job in the midfield of neutralizing counterattacks from the Aggies, cutting out passes and making well-timed tackles. 
 
RAISING THE BAR
Taylor Poland made a tricky save in the 25^th minute, the ball bouncing in front of her after making the initial save. Marissa Garcia and the rest of the Gaels defense came to her rescue to keep the Aggies from taking the lead. 
 
The Aggies piled on the pressure throughout the closing 15 minutes of the half, as Taylor Poland was called into action once again in the 31^st minute as she made a confident save to deny Davis the opener. 
 
The best chance of the half for either side came in the 38^th minute as Briana Salvetti found herself in a great position inside the box. She chipped a left footed shot towards the back post that connected with the crossbar, nearly sneaking the opener by the Aggies. 
 
BREAKING THE DEADLOCK
After an entertaining first half, both teams looked to take it one step further and find the opener. The Gaels and Aggies each had their own chances to take the lead, but neither side were able to find the right finish. 
 
Tessa Salvestrin looked to test the Aggies defenders early into the half, as she danced past the Davis back line in the 51^st minute before cutting in on her right foot once again. Despite making solid connection, her shot once again flew over the bar.
 
The Aggies were quick to respond as they charged down the field and earned themselves a corner in the 52^ndminute. 
 
After starting the second half on the front foot, the Gaels were rewarded for their hard work with the opening goal. Alessandra Towle delivered a perfect cross from a corner that deflected off of two Aggies defenders before bouncing towards Emily Jensen. Jensen headed the ball perfectly as the ball shot past the Davis keeper to give SMC the 1-0 lead in the 57^th minute and notch her first goal of the season. 
 
Saint Mary's weren't content with just one goal, as the Gaels looked to distance themselves from the Aggies. Kyllie Glock had a solid shot on goal in the 68^th minute, but the Davis keeper did well to hold onto the ball to avoid any eager SMC attackers looking to pounce on the rebound. 
 
DEFENSIVE DISPLAY
It was a fast paced final 20 minutes as the Aggies committed players forward as they anxiously looked to tie the match. Saint Mary's did a fantastic job of limiting the high-power Davis offense, as the Gaels looked to counterattack every time the home team forfeited possession. 
 
Marissa Garcia and Amari Hicks were pivotal in the Gaels defensive efforts, as both players shut down every Davis attack that came their way. 
 
With the Aggies breathing down their necks, the Gaels did an excellent job killing the clock in the dying moments of the match. Despite a few tense moments during the final two minutes of the match, Saint Mary's remained composed. Taylor Poland was quick off her line to smother a cross with just one minute left on the clock. 
 
NEXT UP
In the end Saint Mary's held on for a fantastic away win against a talented Aggies team. They'll look to keep their two-game winning streak alive as they'll head down to Palo Alto on Sunday, August 27 to face off against #6 Stanford at 1 PM.