Final Stats

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team battled back from an early deficit to earn a historic victory over Milwaukee, 3-2, this afternoon at Engelmann Field in Milwaukee, Wis. The win, Loyola's first over its former league rival since 2008 and first on the road over the Panthers since 1994, moves Loyola to 5-3-2 overall, while the Panthers fall to 4-3-1 on the year.

"What a great win for the program," Loyola head women's soccer coach Barry Bimbi commented. "Today was the first time that a Loyola women's soccer team beat Milwaukee in Milwaukee since 1994. I'm so proud of this team and the way we have a different player step up every game. It gives us a great feeling going into the start of conference play."

Following an early save from sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Ford, fellow sophomore Avalon Senn-Raemont got the Ramblers off and running on the offensive end. The McHenry, Ill. native headed home a redirect from freshman Jenna Szczesny off a corner kick from junior Shelby Koch to give the Maroon & Gold an early 1-0 advantage in the eighth minute. Milwaukee wasted little time in answering back in front of its home crowd. Goals in rapid succession from Callie O'Donnell and Anna Smalley, respectively, had the Panthers in front, 2-1, by the 13th minute.

Ford came up with a pair of saves as the half wore on to keep the deficit at a single goal. Sophomore Katie Grall inserted the Ramblers right back into the game when she took advantage of a Milwaukee turnover in the Panthers' third of the field and tucked her attempt inside the far post to level the game at 2-2 in the 43rd minute. Grall's goal, her first of the season, sent the Ramblers racing to halftime with momentum.

Loyola came out attacking to begin the second stanza. Koch and junior Hailey Merrill each forced saves out of Paige Lincicum, the Panther netminder, in the early stages of the half. Ford answered her counterpart with a save of her own in the 55th minute, turning away Sydney Senn's attempt.

Koch came up with the game's deciding strike in the 67th minute when Madison Kimball found her in space at the edge of the Panther third of the field. The Mill Creek, Wash. product unleashed a curling shot from just outside the top of the arc that beat Lincicum and found the back of the net to give the Ramblers a 3-2 edge. Maddie Tetzke looked to force overtime in the 84th minute but Ford was up to the task in goal, making her fifth and final save of the day to seal Loyola's third win over the Panthers in program history.

The Ramblers will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they open up Missouri Valley Conference play on the road against preseason league favorite Evansville. Kickoff against the Purple Aces in scheduled for 3 p.m. from Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.