Final Stats

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Second-seeded Evansville brought an end to the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team's season this afternoon in the Final of the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championship, defeating the Ramblers in a penalty shootout, 5-3, after the two teams played to a scoreless draw in double overtime. Today's result from Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind. sees the Ramblers close the 2015 campaign with a final record of 9-7-5 (2-2-2 MVC).

"I couldn't be more proud of this group of young women," Loyola head women's soccer coach Barry Bimbi said. "It's not an easy way for your season or career to end, but credit to Evansville and their girls on their performance today. Our seniors have left a legacy of accountability, passion, trust, family, and positivity, and for that, I'm thankful. Many thanks to Stephanie Heys, Kristin Rodriguez, Jessica Bean, and our two strong captains, Kara Ruffolo and Mariah Vichich, for their commitment to our program."

Following a spell that saw Loyola control possession in the early minutes of the first half, Evansville seemed to be finding its groove on the offensive end. Bronwyn Boswell, a First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, notched a pair of attempts in the 12th and 13th minutes, respectively. Less than three minutes after Boswell's second shot of the day, sophomore Avalon Senn-Raemont looked to have opened the scoring when she tapped a pass from freshman Jenna Szczesny into the back of the net, only for the flag to go up for offsides.

The Ramblers continued to come forward as the half progressed. A great run from senior Jessica Bean resulted in the Tinley Park, Ill. native working her way inside the box before sending a cross near the penalty spot that connected with fellow senior Kristin Rodriguez, who fired wide of the near post. Rodriguez, out of Geneva, Ill., forced a save out of Whitney Biggs, the Evansville goalkeeper, three minutes after as the game headed to halftime scoreless.

The two teams traded scoring opportunities in the early minutes of the second stanza. Colleen Dierkes came close to putting the Purple Aces in front in the 52nd minute when she found herself on the receiving end of a corner kick from Emily Richardson, only to hook the shot wide of the near post. Loyola's chance fell to Szczesny on the break in the 54th minute when the freshman raced past her defender before suffering the same fate as Dierkes.

Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Ford, who broke Loyola's all-time single-season shutouts record by recording her ninth clean sheet this afternoon, came up big for the Maroon & Gold inside the final ten minutes of regulation. The Bloomfield Hills, Mich. native smothered a blast from 10 yards out by Kayla Smith in the 82nd minute to keep the Purple Aces off the scoreboard. Biggs answered back at the other end of the field for the hosts in the 88th minute, denying Szczesny at her near post, to send the game into overtime.

The two extra sessions featured chances at both ends of the field. None were closer than when Nicki Baham's try in the 95th minute rung off Ford's crossbar before being cleared away by the Rambler defense. Ford added another crucial save, her third of the day, in the 106th minute of play when she denied Smith again to ensure that penalties would be needed to decide a winner.

Allie Arguello and Szczesny traded makes in the opening round of the shootout. Following Smith's conversion to lead off round two, Biggs came up with the play of the day, denying Vichich with an outstretched save to give Evansville the advantage. Senior Kara Ruffolo and freshman Taylor Lambouris each answered tallies from the Purple Aces in the next two rounds but Emily Richardson put to rest any hopes of a comeback when she scored to begin the fifth round to punch the Purple Aces' ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

For their efforts during Loyola's run through the tournament, senior Mariah Vichich, junior Ciara Murray and freshman Jenna Szczesny were selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Bimbi is set to welcome back 20 letterwinners from this season's squad when the Ramblers return to action in 2016. That group includes Szczesny, the Valley's reigning Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Conference honorees Shelby Koch and Hailey Merrill and Honorable Mention selections in Ford and Lambouris.