MADISON, N.J. - An 81st minute goal from Ava Gregorio wasn't enough to spark Catholic's comeback effort on Tuesday night in the Landmark Conference Quarterfinals. The Cardinals fell 2-1 to Drew who will advance to take on Scranton on Thursday evening. 

Drew scored a pair of first-half goals, jumping ahead in the 22nd minute before adding the difference-maker in the 35th minute. Gregorio pulled the Cardinals within one despite playing down a player in the 81st, but the Cardinals didn't find an equalizer in the final nine-plus minutes. 

Drew took advantage of a corner kick opportunity in the 22nd minute as Kat Kugler and Alexa Krause picked up assists and Maggie Speckhart finished off the first goal of the contest. Ava Rieger came out to play the cross, but didn't get a good piece of it, allowing the ball to bounce freely into the box. 

Less than two minutes later, Isabel Doherty had an opportunity in the box for Catholic, but couldn't do much with the tough angle, allowing Sarah Crowley to make a save. 

Drew's second goal came off a Rebecca Racine free kick with less than 11 minutes left in the first half. Racine rocketed a free kick from just inside midfield. Rieger let it take a bounce inside the six, but the bounce went over her outstretched hand and touched the cross bar before Kugler knocked it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. 

With just over 21 minutes remaining, Catholic went down to 10 players on the pitch as Alex Berish was given a red card for a challenge as the last line of defense. Berish cut off the angle on a long ball, but was ruled to have made too much contact with the Drew player, disallowing a goal try. However, Drew was not able to capitalize and add a third goal. 

Catholic got on the board with just over nine minutes remaining as Peyton Coron redirected a cross into the box for a wide-open Gregorio who deposited the ball into the empty net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Cardinals would not have another chance on target as Drew closed out the victory. 

Catholic will finish the 2024 season with a record of 8-7-4. Rieger will leave the 2024 season with three new program records. The junior keeper set new marks with 11 saves, a GAA of 0.56, and a save percentage of .848.