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CHICAGO (August 17, 2017) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team will open the regular season portion of its 2017 schedule this weekend when it travels to the state of Oklahoma for a pair of challenging tests.  2016 NCAA Tournament participant Oklahoma State will provide the opposition in Friday's regular-season opener at 5 p.m. in Stillwater, Okla. before the Maroon & Gold conclude the two-game swing in Tulsa, Okla. with a 1 p.m. matinee against Oral Roberts.
 
2017 Preview: Head coach Barry Bimbi returns an experienced group of 18 letterwinners as he begins his seventh season as the bench boss in Rogers Park.  Looking to lead that group will be junior Jenna Szczesny (2 goals, 3 assists in 2016) and sophomore Sienna Cruz (1 goal, 1 assist in 2016), both of who were named Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference selections early in the week.  The Ramblers were pegged third in the league's preseason poll, coming in behind Illinois State and Drake, respectively.
 
vs. Oklahoma State: Friday's season-opener will mark the first time that Loyola and Oklahoma State have collided in women's soccer.  The Cowgirls, picked sixth in the Big 12 Conference preseason coaches poll, return eight starters from last year's team that finished 9-9-3 and bowed out in the opening round of NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.  That group of returning starters includes five of the team's top six scorers, a group highlighted by Haley Woodard (6 goals, 1 assist in 2016) and Jaci Jones (5 goals, 4 assists in 2016). 
 
vs. Oral Roberts: Oral Roberts owns a 2-0-0 edge in its all-time series with the Ramblers, though the two teams have not met since the 1998 season.  The Golden Eagles, who open their season on Friday night by hosting UMKC, were picked fourth in the Summit League preseason poll after coming within one game of advancing to the NCAA Tournament last season.  Lexi Jones, who led the Summit League in goals (11) and points (23) last season en route to being named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year, is one of seven starters and 18 overall leterwinners returning in 2017.
 
After This: Following its trip to the Sooner State, Loyola will return to the friendly confines of Loyola Soccer Park to host Drexel (Aug. 25) and Akron (Aug. 27) as part of the Loyola Invitational.