Final Stats

CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team dominated large spells of play this evening against visiting Indiana State but was unable to find the back of the net as it fell to the Sycamores by a final count of 2-0 at Loyola Soccer Park. Indiana State moves to 6-9-1 (1-3-1 MVC) with the win, while Loyola slips to 6-7-4 (1-2-2 MVC).

"In the first half I think we hit either the post or crossbar four times," Loyola head women's soccer coach Barry Bimbi commented. "Their goalkeeper made a couple of unbelievable saves so we saw ourselves going into halftime down, 1-0, after we played fantastic. Sometimes you run into a night like this where it just doesn't fall and its unfortunate that it had to happen to us in a conference game this late in the season."

Following an energy-charged senior night ceremony, Loyola came out and quickly looked to take control of the game. Senior Kara Ruffolo nearly put the Ramblers on top just past the 15-minute mark, directing a low cross from freshman Jenna Szczesny over the bar. Ruffolo, out of Dayton, Ohio, found herself back in the mix again in the 18th minute when she flicked a cross from junior Shelby Koch on to fellow senior Kristin Rodriguez. Rodriguez took aim at the center of goal from inside ten yards, only for Brittany San Roman, the Indiana State goalkeeper, to make a kick save. The Maroon & Gold had the Sycamore netminder under siege again less than three minute later when she made a diving stop of senior Stephanie Heys' uncontested look before Szczesny put the ensuing rebound high.

Sophomore Katie Grall came painstakingly close to finding a breakthrough for Loyola near the half-hour mark. Szczesny sent a ball across the box the connected with the Waukesha, Wis. native, who fired a one-timer off the post. Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Ford made her first two saves of the night in the minutes following but was unable to turn away a blast for Sydney Loesing in the 41st minute that gave Indiana State a 1-0 lead. A wild sequence ensued shortly after that saw freshman Madison Kimball force a diving save out of San Roman at her near post before Rodriguez headed the rebound off of the post, sending the Ramblers to the intermission down a goal.

Loyola continued to rack up attempts as the second half began but could not find its way past the Sycamore goalkeeper. Ford kept the deficit at one at the hour mark when she made a fantastic save, stoning Katie Wells' shot from the edge of the six-yard box. Just five minutes, sophomore Avalon Senn-Raemont worked her way to the edge of the area and sent a ball across the face of goal that freshman Claire Oberle was unable to keep under the crossbar. Senn-Raemont was at it again in the 71st minute, unleashing an ambitious effort from 20 yards out that was smothered by San Roman at her near post.

With the Ramblers continuing to press forward, Indiana State added an insurance goal in the 75th minute of play. Kate Johnson corralled a pass from Sydney Lovelace and managed to sneak her attempt over Ford and under the crossbar to double the Sycamore advantage, 2-0. Loyola was unable to put another shot on goal for the remainder of the night as Indiana State laid claim to all three points in the conference standings.

Loyola will wrap up its regular season on Thursday night at 6 p.m. when it hosts Northern Iowa at Loyola Soccer Park. With a win over the Panthers, the Ramblers can clinch a berth in the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championship.