ELSAH, IL – The Principia women's soccer team built a three-goal lead before holding off a late rally by Maranatha Baptist for a 3-2 victory at home on Saturday. The Panthers controlled much of the afternoon, finishing with a 26-11 advantage in shots to improve to 3-3-2 on the season.

Principia wasted little time getting on the board. Just two minutes into the match, Stella Cathie scored her first goal as a Panther off a nice feed from Mafe Quintero, whose assist was also the first of her career. The Panthers continued to apply pressure and doubled their lead in the 16th minute. Zoe Houseman sent a perfectly placed corner kick into the box which found the head of Makayla Kurtz for her first goal of the season. Principia finished the opening half with a 15-3 advantage in shots and carried the 2-0 lead into halftime.

The Panthers struck again less than eight minutes into the second half. A long pass by Myka Fenton set up Dachelle Carter, who sent a powerful shot into the top corner for her second goal of the season. Just like Quintero, this was also Fenton's first ever collegiate assist. The three-goal cushion proved important when the Sabercats mounted a late comeback by scoring two goals in a span of three minutes to make it a one-goal game. A number of Principia starters quickly returned to the field and successfully saw out the final eight minutes to secure the victory.

Principia goalkeeper Isabella Brancati made three saves without allowing a goal in just over 81 minutes in net. Combined with her career-high 17-saves in Principia's 2-0 loss at Coe College earlier in the week, Brancati was named SLIAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. She finished the week with a 1.05 goals against average and a .910 save percentage.

The Panthers will now return to conference play for their first home SLIAC match of the season when they host Spalding University on Thursday, October 1 at 5:30 PM CT.