The Loyola women’s soccer team traveled to Pennsylvania on Saturday, where the team squared off against Patriot League foe Lafayette. Little did the Hounds know until later that day after a scoreless double-overtime tie that they would make program history and qualify for the Patriot League tournament for the first time ever.
The Greyhounds earned a berth into the tournament by tying Lehigh’s season record of 2-3-4 in the Patriot League. Due to the tiebreaking procedure, the team was granted a spot to battle it out and go up against the rival teams.
None of that would have been possible if it weren’t for the well-executed game the Loyola women played that evening, as they managed to successfully fend off the Leopards and advance.
From the beginning of the game up until the end of the first half, Loyola took control with the ball in their possession for the majority of game time. Several scoring opportunities opened up, with shots taken by Lindsay LeSavage, Rosy Hayes, Charlotte Miller, Cara Connolly, Brooke Kerrigan, Jess Van Dyke, and Jess Soldiviero. Despite the various chances the women were able to create, the game remained scoreless throughout the first half.
The Greyhounds kicked off the second half of the game just as aggressively as the first, with Miller firing two more shots at the goal within a 10-minute span. Lafayette’s goalie Danielle Sedillo was able to successfully block both of them however, and put up a strong front for Lafayette’s defensive end.
Loyola continued to press on, with its best opportunity to score in the 66th minute of play. Kerrigan was set up for a beautiful shot due to a perfectly placed corner kick by Miller, but nothing could get past Sedillo.
While Lafayette made a few attempts to score throughout the game, nothing could get past Loyola goalkeeper, Colleen Folan, either. Folan made a total of six saves to keep the score 0-0. This game was her 10th clean sheet, putting her in third place for Loyola’s single-season record and contributed to her total shutout time of now 555:07, the longest since 2007. This is also the first time in 7 years that the Greyhounds have shut out five straight games before championship season.
Due to Loyola’s superb defense and determination, the game remained scoreless until the end of double overtime.
The Greyhounds, seeded sixth in the Patriot League Tournament, will play No. 3 Navy in the first round. Loyola will be traveling to the Midshipmen’s home turf for the game that will kick off Tuesday night at 7pm.
