Loyola Game Notes | The Valley on ESPN (subscription required) vs. Florida Gulf Coast | Live Stats vs. Florida Gulf Coast
CHICAGO (September 14, 2018) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Loyola Soccer Park on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the non-conference portion of its 2018 schedule when it entertains Florida Gulf Coast at 1 p.m.
Last Time Out: Loyola dropped a 2-1 decision to Wisconsin last Sunday at the McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison, Wis.
Abby Swanson scored her third goal of the season in the 41
st minute of play for the Maroon & Gold. For her efforts, Swanson was named the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Newcomer of the Week on Monday.
vs. Florida Gulf Coast: Florida Gulf Coast rolls into Sunday's clash with the Ramblers at 6-0-1 overall. The Eagles are currently receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll. Five different players found the back of the net as Florida Gulf Coast continued its unbeaten start to the season this past Thursday in a 5-1 rout of Florida International in Miami, Fla. Led by four-time Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference Coach of the Year Jim Blankenship, Florida Gulf Coast, who have won eight straight ASUN Regular Season Championships, are led in the offensive third by Evdokia Popadinova and Holly Fritz. Popadinova is the team's overall points leader (16), having scored six goals to go along with four assists, while Fritz (10 points) is hot on her heels with four goals and two assists. Melissa Weck has started in all seven games in goal for the Eagles and sports a sparkling 0.69 goals against average.
Series Stuff: Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between Loyola and Florida Gulf Coast in women's soccer. The Ramblers' only previous matchup against a current Atlantic Sun Conference member came back on September 3, 2004 in a 2-1 win over Liberty at Loyola Soccer Park.
Up Next: Loyola heads back out on the road next Sunday (Sept. 23) to open its seven-game Missouri Valley Conference slate against Northern Iowa. Kickoff from the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.
