Sept. 22, 2013

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CHICAGO - An 85th minute goal by Gini Yost proved to be enough to carry DePaul to a 1-0 victory over the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team this afternoon in Rogers Park.

"Overall, I thought the game was very well played and entertaining for the fans to watch," said Loyola head women's soccer coach Barry Bimbi. "At the end of the day, it's a little disappointing to give up a goal on a set piece since that is something we stress to the girls. Even though we were shutout on the scoreboard, I felt that we were very dynamic today and created a ton of chances going forward. We'll take plenty of positives from today as we head into conference play."

Prior to the game, Loyola honored the four members of its senior class. Maggie Olsen, Tricia Stonebraker, Alex Brown and Elyssa Kulas all found themselves named in Bimbi's starting eleven this afternoon. Stonebraker, out of Anchorage, Alaska, would tally the game's first shot when her attempt sailed wide of the DePaul goal.

Despite not recording a shot on goal in the opening half, the Ramblers still found themselves in a scoreless game thanks to a fantastic performance by junior goalkeeper Monica Gonyo. In the 19th minute, Gonyo made her finest save of the half, denying Elise Wyatt's headed attempt as the game headed to the halftime break in a nil-nil deadlock.

After the restart, it would be the Loyola backline that stepped up to keep the game goalless. Sophomore Mariah Vichich cleared DePaul shots off the line on two separate occasions. Loyola finally tested DePaul goalkeeper Alejandria Godinez for the first time on the afternoon in the 49th minute but Olsen saw her shot turned away.

Following an Erin Pekovitch shot that Gonyo was forced to tip off her crossbar, Vichich went on a torrid run down the left side of the field which resulted in her unleashing a shot from 25 yards out that required Godinez to make a fine save. Gonyo answered her DePaul counterpart's save at the other end when she turned away MaryKate Cicinelli's shot from point-blank range.

With the game entering the final quarter of an hour, DePaul found the goal both teams were searching for. After a Loyola foul from just outside the 18-yard box, Rebekah Roller delivered a ball into the box that the Ramblers were unable to clear. Yost made them pay by tucking her shot inside the near post to give the Blue Demons a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

Loyola will hope to rebound from today's defeat when they open Missouri Valley Conference play against the Indiana State Sycamores at 7 p.m. on Friday evening at Loyola Soccer Park.