CHICAGO (November 14, 2019) – Winners of its last 12 games, the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team will open play in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday afternoon when it battles Hofstra in a First Round pairing in Hempstead, N.Y.  Kickoff between the Ramblers and Pride, the former of which will be in search of its first NCAA Tournament win in program history, is schedule for 12 p.m. (CT) at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
 
Last Time Out: Loyola punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 blanking of Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship game this past Sunday in Springfield, Mo.  Senior Sienna Cruz opened the scoring in the 40^th minute, while junior Lindsey Hardiman added an insurance goal in the 55^th minute.  The Ramblers closed down a potent Illinois State attack, holding the Redbirds to just five total attempts en route to their ninth shutout of the season.
 
vs. Hofstra: Hofstra (15-3-2, 7-0-2 MVC) secured its spot in the NCAA Tournament by virtue of a 5-1 thrashing of James Madison in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship game last Saturday.  The Pride, who are a sparkling 8-0-1 on the year at Hofstra Soccer Stadium, bring an impressive 15-game unbeaten run into the weekend, with their last defeat coming at the hands of then No. 21 Rutgers, 4-1, back on September 5.  Under the direction of reigning CAA Coach of the Year Simon Riddiough, Hofstra is making its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and fourth over the last five years.  Last season, the Pride rolled to a 4-1 victory over Boston College in the First Round before bowing out to Wisconsin, 6-0.  Spearheading for a potent Hofstra attack is the duo of Lucy Porter and Sabrina Bryan.  Porter, the CAA's Midfielder of the Year and a MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List candidate, has fired home a league-high 16 goals, a mark that is tied for 10th nationally.  Also with eight assists on the year, Porter's 40 overall points put her seventh in all of Division I.  Bryan, who took home CAA Attacking Player of the Year accolades, provides an added punch up top, having netted 10 goals in addition to 10 assists on the year.  The Pride's defensive unit is led by Anja Suttner and Skylar Kuzmich.  Suttner was named the CAA's Co-Defensive Player of the Year after marshaling a Hofstra backline that allowed just nine goals in league play.  Kuzmich has started in all 20 games in goal, sporting a 1.30 goals against average and a 0.634 save percentage.
 
Series Stuff: Loyola and Hofstra will meet for the first time in Saturday's NCAA Tournament opener in the Empire State.  The Ramblers hold an 0-1-1 (.250) record against current members of the CAA.  In their most recent meeting with a CAA opponent, Loyola dropped a 1-0 decision to Drexel on August 25, 2017 at Loyola Soccer Park.
 
Up Next: The winner of Saturday's matchup will advance on to the Second Round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship to face the winner of the First Round contest between overall number one seed Stanford and Prairie View A&M.