The women’s soccer team played Navy to a 1-1 draw, then lost 4-3 in penalty kicks last Friday in the semifinal round of the Patriot League tournament. The Hounds finish with a record of 7-7-5 in a season that saw their first playoff win since 2013.

Top-seeded Navy has since gone on to win the Patriot League tournament with a win over Army West Point in the championship game on Sunday. They have earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Hannah Hoefs ’20 played hero for the Hounds one more time, scoring her team’s only goal on a stellar corner kick. Hoefs’ nine goals are the most by a Loyola player in a single season since 2012. She ends her career with 39 points over four years as a starter.

Navy had a definitive advantage in shots (17-3) throughout the match, but Paige Sim ’23 made four saves to keep the damage minimal. The Loyola backline has played at a high level for the better part of the season, holding opponents to one goal or fewer in the last 12 contests. However, Gina Peraino slipped the ball past Sim in a corner kick scrum in the 43rd minute. 

The Hounds were nearly down to their final 10 minutes when Hoefs bent a corner kick into the top right corner. Both teams were able to hold on through the two overtime periods, so they went to penalty kicks to settle the match.

Hoefs, Sabrina Daglish ’21 and Kate Reese (grad student) converted on their attempts for the Greyhounds, while Navy also made their first three attempts. Navy’s Emily Keast put her team up 4-3 in the next round, and the next Loyola shot hit off the crossbar, securing the win for the Midshipmen.

In addition to earning their first playoff win since 2013, the Hounds’ seven wins are the most in a season since 2012. Head coach Joe Mallia has instilled a winning culture in his first season back with the Greyhounds, and will look to build on this early success in the years to come. 

Featured Image Courtesy of Larry French.