VILLANOVA, Pa. – Playing in a one-goal deficit for nearly 72 minutes of action, Villanova's 81^st minute equalizer was overshadowed by late-game heroics from Providence as the Wildcats fell 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Higgins Soccer Complex.

Villanova (9-8, 4-5 BIG EAST) came into the match needing a win to gain stronger ground for a berth to the BIG EAST Championship field with just one game remaining in the regular season. The loss is just the third home falter for the 'Cats this season but builds stronger implications for next Saturday's meeting with Butler.

"Tale of two halves," head coach Samar Azem said. "You know, something that we've learned the hard way today is how to understand that this is basically the playoffs. We came into this game knowing that a win could put us in a really good place for top four finish in the conference which would puts us into the tournament. This year it's four teams, not six. We've talked all season about not making any moment too big and any moment too small, and, unfortunately, we made this moment too big."

Dez Zapata was the lone goal scorer in the match for the 'Cats, netting her second goal of the season. Providence (6-6-3, 3-4-2) was led by a two-goal effort from Lily Gibbs.

The first of Providence's goals came in the 9^th minute when Gibbs played a ball into the box toward Courtnee Pickles. Her cross hit off of Olivia Neal inside the and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Hannah Curtin had a strong chance of getting a goal back in the 19^th minute with a shot that grazed the right side of the net and went out of play. Another opportunity came in the 34^th minute when Morgan Kotch beat a defender to get a look toward the net, but it was saved near the right post by Ellie Thallman.

Villanova trailed in shots 12-4 at the break, 4-1 for shots on frame. The Wildcats opened the second half with a momentum swing, getting shots from Alex Little and Gabby Koluch in the first 15 minutes, but both were saved by Thallman.

A free kick in the 71^st minute for the 'Cats set up another scoring opportunity. After the ball was pinged around the 18-yard box and back out again, a lob into the penalty area found the head of Zapata that she angled toward the net but was swatted away by Thallman. Avrie Nelsen also had a dangerous play near the left post that she tried to get past the Friars keeper but Thallman was quick to save.

Villanova's breakthrough came in the 81^st minute. Kotch created a great opening to play a beautiful pass ahead into the penalty area. Zapata was able to get past a group of Providence defender and send a shot into the back right of the net to level the match, 1-1.

A Providence steal in the 83^rd minute proved to be the deciding factor in the contest. Thaea Mouratidis played a ball ahead to Amaya Coffie that she quickly tapped over to Gibbs for an arching shot into the back right of the net for the 2-1 game-winner.

Little led the Wildcats with three shots in the match, placing two on frame. Koluch and Zapata both had two shots on goal as well. In net, Hannah Dickinson grabbed four of the shots she faced. On the other end of the pitch, Thallman recorded seven saves.

Villanova closes the regular season on Nov. 1 with a visit from Butler. That Alumni Day game is set to begin at 3 p.m.