The women’s soccer team started the weekend with a 2-0 win against VMI on Friday night at Ridley Athletic Complex. Ariel Tillman ’20 scored the first goal of her Loyola career to go with an assist, and Sarah Bayer ‘22 posted an identical stat line to lead the Hounds to the victory.

Although the first half had its share of scoring opportunities, neither team succeeded in getting the ball past the opposition. VMI fired off a few quick shots early on, but none found the back of the net. Goalie Lily Andres ‘20 anchored the Loyola defense in the first half and managed to withstand the Wildcats’ initial barrage.

The Greyhound offense settled in after that, taking the next 12 shots over 18 minutes of play. VMI goalie Noelle Heilpurn was tested, but she held strong in the first half. Neither offense could finish their scoring chances, so the score remained 0-0 at halftime.

Loyola kept up the pace in the second half and their efforts were rewarded quickly. Following a stop, defender Beth Eversman ’20 regained possession for the Hounds and quickly passed the ball over the midfield line to Bayer. Bayer scanned the box and found Tillman lurking around the outside. Tillman handled her way past her primary defender and found space for a shot which she sent past Heilpurn for the first score of the day.

Tillman returned the favor later in the half when she passed to Bayer and let her go to work. Bayer spun past her defender and fired a shot into the top-right corner for the second goal of the season, and the first since her overtime winner over Seton Hall.

VMI’s offense was stalled continuously in the final 45 minutes, failing to produce a single shot on goal. Paige Sim ’23 earned her first win as goalie for the Hounds after subbing in at the start of the second half. 

On Sunday, the women’s soccer team fell to the host Penn Quakers 4-0 in their final game before beginning Patriot League play. Four different Quakers scored on their way to improving their record to 4-1-1. The loss brings the Hounds to 2-5. 

A brief flurry of shots in the opening minutes of the match were Loyola’s only scoring opportunities. Shots from Kaleigh Gallagher ’22 and Maddie Hart ’20 both missed their mark. 

Penn responded with their own offensive attack, starting with a strike from Paige Howard at 12:08. It did not take long for the Quakers to tack on another, as Emily Sands scored her fourth of the season at 13:34. 

Less than four minutes later, Kelsey Andrews joined in and recorded her first goal of the year with Sands assisting. Loyola tried to stop the attack by switching goalies and subbing in Paige Sim at minute 18. However, Penn’s run would continue as Breukelen Woodward scored the fourth and final tally for the defending Ivy League regular season champs at 22:32.

Sim settled in after that, recording four saves against a well-oiled Penn offense. Her efforts on the defensive end did not translate to scoring opportunities though, as the Hounds managed to create just one shot on goal during the whole match. This kind of performance is nothing new for Penn, who has shut out its opponent four times in the last five games. 

The 2-5 Hounds have the week to rest for Patriot League play. Next up, they travel to Bethlehem, Pa. on Sept. 21 to face Lehigh in a Saturday afternoon game. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of Loyola Athletics.