St. Bonaventure

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure women's soccer team put on a gritty performance in its 2026 season opener on Sunday afternoon, notching a 1-0 victory over Saint Peter's at the Marra Athletics Complex as head coach Ray Leone secured a winning result in his Bona's debut.
 
Ava Reybitz made the difference in her first game with the Bonnies (1-0) as the William & Mary sophomore transfer dashed through the Peacocks' (0-1) defense and netted her first collegiate goal in the 34th minute, breaking a scoreless knot.
 
The result marked the 310th victory of Leone's career at the Division I level and his first with the Brown and White, also making him the first coach in program history to secure a debut victory since Geoff Bennett accomplished the feat in 1998 against Boston.
 
The match flowed at a steadily slow pace throughout the full 90 minutes as both squads patiently battled for legitimate offensive opportunities. The Bonnies held the majority of possession in the early going but could not generate any scoring chances until nearly 20 minutes in when freshman Liana Tata recorded the game's first shot. Saint Peter's struggled in a similar manner as the hosting defense pushed away a handful of runs downfield.
 
Reybitz's score proved to be an exception to the match's defensive theme. After freshman Deanna Romero collected the ball in Bona's attacking zone, she threaded the needle to a streaking Reybitz who showed off a flashy hesitation move. The sophomore then took advantage of the open opportunity, powering a shot which deflected off Saint Peter's goalkeeper Lily Sarris and into the back of the net.
 
Much of the game's remainder played out similarly to its opening with the two programs doing battle along the sidelines and in the middle of the field, unable to establish genuine attacking threats or breakaways in transition. Senior goalkeeper Juliana Castellano made two low saves early in the second half, stifling the visitors' best chances at pulling even.
 
Bonaventure enjoyed a few more scoring opportunities in the midst of the second half, though they were turned away as the hosts were unable to extend their lead.
 
Sophomore Caitlyn Kellog, a hometown product of Allegany, fired a shot in the 68th minute which was blocked by a Peacock defender at the last moment. Just 10 minutes later, Romero ripped a shot from the middle of the box which was saved by Sarris, effectively striking down the last of SBU's scoring chances.
 
Fortunately for the home sideline and fans, the Bonnies made it difficult for the Peacocks to find daylight down the stretch, controlling possession and pace en route to an eventual victory.
 
Both goalkeepers recorded an even two saves, each starting and protecting the net for the full 90 minutes, though Castellano faced only seven shots to Sarris' 10.
 
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH RAY LEONE
"It was awesome to see the girls fight from beginning to end. There were a lot of nerves and not knowing what to expect since we barely had a scrimmage, so we didn't know what was going to happen. We weren't sure about the system, but they just played through it. Every mistake that was made, there was someone to save it. I was really proud of that."
 
"I'm all about the team, so it's a thrill to be a part of this. I'm lucky that I've coached a lot of good players in my time, and this is a good group."
 
UP NEXT
The Brown and White will hit the road this week for the first time in 2026, traveling to face Cornell on Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
 
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