In the 15th minute, Avon's junior standout London Carnie—who also plays alongside Ignatius goalkeeper Johnny Mulloy at the club level—produced a moment of brilliance. Spotting Mulloy well off his line, Carnie lofted a delicate chip from nearly 40 yards out that floated perfectly over the keeper’s head and into the net, stunning the Wildcats and putting Avon ahead 1–0.

For the first 20 minutes, Ignatius found themselves on the back foot, and Mulloy was repeatedly called into action. Despite conceding the early goal, the 6’3” junior goalkeeper responded with composure, making a series of acrobatic saves to withstand Avon’s relentless pressure. He would finish the match with 11 saves, many on dangerous set pieces and corner kicks.

Ignatius finally found their breakthrough in the 28th minute, when senior Bryce Ince-Lovelace, an Ohio State commit, slotted home a beautiful equalizer to level the score at 1–1. From there, the Wildcats—currently ranked No. 2 in the nation—shifted into gear and showed why they are regarded among the country’s elite.

Senior midfielder Sam Trivisonno, also committed to Ohio State, took control of the attacking play, scoring twice to help extend the Wildcats’ lead. Dom Ruggiero and Cormac Kruchko also added goals, rounding out a dominant second half for the visitors.

Though Avon battled hard the depth and finishing power of the St. Ignatius roster proved too much to counter over 80 minutes. The Wildcats’ 5–1 victory not only highlighted the resilience of their defense, led by team co-captain Declan Walters, and the heroics of Mulloy in goal, but also underscored their balanced attack, spreading goals across four different Wildcat players. For Ignatius, the performance was another statement win in a season where expectations remain sky-high for the Wildcats.