Oct. 9, 2013
Final Stats
CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team dropped its second straight game, falling to IPFW by a score of 2-1 this evening at Loyola Soccer Park. The Mastodons used a pair of first half goals to pick up their third win of the season.
IPFW had the game's first scoring chance and did not let it go to waste. Gabby Romo sent a through ball towards a charging Brooke Bishir who beat junior goalkeeper Monica Gonyo to the ball and put it by her at the near post in the 5th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The goal was Bishir's second of the season.
Down early, the home side went on the attack as they searched for an equalizer. Junior Monika Lee had two chances inside a thirty-second span. Lee attempted to slot home a corner from freshman Shelby Koch but Sam Pavlika, the IPFW goalkeeper, turned away her shot. She then fired just wide of the far post shortly after following a pass from junior Sammy Gage.
Gage, Loyola's leading scorer, looked to get Loyola on the board in front of its home crowd on a cool Tuesday evening on Chicago's north side. Following a Mastodon foul from just behind midfield, Gonyo came up from goal for the free kick. The New Berlin, Wis. native sent the ball into the box and found the head of Gage but Pavlika made one of her three first half saves and denied the junior's attempt at goal.
Sophomore Jessica Bean tallied one of Loyola's ten shots in the first half but she was also unable to level the game after firing wide at the near post in the 27th minute. IPFW made the Ramblers pay for not taking advantage when they doubled the lead in the 38th minute on a Cassie Egle goal. The Mastodons, despite being outshot 10-3 in the opening 45 minutes, headed to the locker room with a 2-0 lead.
The beginning of the second half would see junior Lindsay Fillingim make her first appearance of the season in goal for the Maroon & Gold. Loyola came out with a sense of urgency from the second the referee blew his whistle to restart play. The Ramblers looked to be on the verge of scoring their opening goal of the night when senior Alex Brown sent a cross into the box in the direction of Gage. Pavlika ended up getting to the ball just a split second before Gage, denying Loyola in the process.
Loyola found its breakthrough in the 70th minute. Freshman Alex Gage was taken down just outside the 18-yard box, setting up the Ramblers with a chance via a free kick. Senior Tricia Stonebraker stepped up and fired a shot over the wall and past the outstretched arms of the Mastodon netminder to cut the deficit to a single goal with twenty minutes to play.
Sadly, Stonebraker's goal ended up being Loyola's final attempt on target for the game. The Ramblers looked to level the game in the closing minutes but Koch's free kick was punched away from the waiting head of senior Elyssa Kulas by Pavlika, securing the victory for her side.
Things won't get any easier for Loyola following tonight's defeat. The Ramblers will head to Normal, Ill. on Sunday afternoon for a clash with the Illinois State Redbirds, the preseason league favorite, and reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Rachel Tejada. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Adelaide Street Field.
