Loyola Game Notes | The Valley on ESPN (subscription required) vs. Valparaiso | Live Stats vs. Valparaiso

CHICAGO (October 16, 2018) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team will look to get back on track on Wednesday night when it visits Brown Field to take on Valparaiso at 7 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: Loyola saw its three-game winning streak to open Missouri Valley Conference play snapped this past Saturday, as it fell to visiting Illinois State by a final count of 3-2 in overtime.  Sophomore Jenna Ross and senior Jenna Szczesny each scored for the Ramblers, with Szczesny's goal in the 81^st minute forcing overtime, but Mikayla Unger delivered the game's deciding strike just under three minutes into overtime, rocketing home a shot from 30 yards out to seal a win for the Redbirds.
 
vs. Valparaiso: Valparaiso's comes into the week on a three-match unbeaten run that has pushed the Crusaders' record to 4-6-3 on the year.  Veteran head coach John Marovich's side resides at 1-2-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play, a mark that has them seventh in the league table.  The Crusader attack is spearheaded by 2017 First Team All-Valley selection Cory Griffith.  Griffith, who ranks third all-time at Valparaiso in overall points (60), sits third in the MVC in goals with a team-high six tallies.  Marovich has given the nod in goal to Kezia Gesell in each of Valparaiso's four Valley contests.  Gesell sports an impressive 0.70 goals against average and a 0.889 save percentage during that stretch.
 
Series Stuff: Loyola and Valparaiso will clash for the 27th time on Wednesday evening in Northwest Indiana.  The Ramblers own a 16-9-1 edge in the previous 26 meetings, 10 of which came when the two schools were members of the Horizon League.  The Maroon & Gold will be in search of their first victory at Brown Field since a 1-0 blanking of the Crusaders during the 2012 Horizon League Tournament.  Loyola and Valparaiso split a pair of meetings last season, both of which took place at Loyola Soccer Park.  In the regular-season tilt, Valparaiso, which was aided by an own goal, escaped with a 2-1 victory before Loyola gained a measure of revenge, defeating the Crusaders by an identical scoreline behind a two-goal performance from Jenna Szczesny in the opening round of the 2017 MVC Women's Soccer Championship.
 
Up Next: Loyola will travel to Springfield, Mo. on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the road potion of its 2018 schedule against Missouri State.  Kickoff from the Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.