CHICAGO (August 28, 2019) – After opening the regular season on the road, the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team will return to the friendly confines of Loyola Soccer Park on Friday evening to host South Dakota at 7:30 p.m. in the 2019 home opener.  Prior to kickoff against the Coyotes, a special pregame ceremony to unveil the 2018 NCAA Tournament banner will take place.  The Ramblers will venture back out on the road on Sunday to take on Ball State at 12 p.m. (CT) in Muncie, Ind.
 
Last Time Out: Loyola dropped a pair of games away from home during the first week of the season, falling to Illinois, 3-1, and Kansas, 6-0.  Aleksa Tataryn accounted for the Maroon & Gold's goal against the Fighting Illini, finding the back of the net in the 72^nd minute.
 
vs. South Dakota: Under the direction of second-year head coach Michael Thomas, South Dakota split a pair of games on its home field this past weekend, defeating Idaho State, 2-0, before dropping a 1-0 decision to Utah State.  Madison Sullivan and Amanda Carpio both found the back of the net in Friday's win over the Bengals, with Sullivan also tallying an assist.  Coming off a 9-7-2 (4-4-0 Summit League) season in 2018, the Coyotes were tabbed fifth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll.  Thomas' group set a new program record for wins in the Division I era as it fell just a point shy of qualifying for the conference tournament during his first season at the helm in Vermillion, S.D.  Alexis Mitchell was also recognized as a "Player to Watch" following a sophomore campaign that saw her finish with a goal and three assists.
 
vs. Ball State: Ball State, which hosts Illinois State on Thursday evening in Muncie, Ind., has opened the season with a pair of clean sheet victories, downing Eastern Illinois, 6-0, and Marquette, 1-0.  Grace Aslop netted a hat trick in the victory over the Panthers, while Sam Kambol levied the deciding strike against the Golden Eagles.  First-year head coach Josh Rife's team was picked second in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 14-3-3 (8-2-1 MAC) in 2018.  The Cardinals finished back of defending league champion Bowling Green, who defeated Ball State in last season's MAC Championship game on penalties, 5-4, after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in double overtime.
 
Series Stuff: Loyola and South Dakota have met twice previously, playing to 1-1 double-overtime draws in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons.  Loyola and Ball State will meet for the fourth time on Sunday afternoon, a series in which the Cardinals hold a slim 2-1-0 edge in.  Ball State was victorious in the last meeting, 3-1, during the 2008 season in Rogers Park.
 
Up Next: Loyola is back in action at Loyola Soccer Park next Thursday (Sept. 5) to host No. 15 Wisconsin in a 7 p.m. kickoff.  The Ramblers will also visit Columbia, Mo. on Sunday, September 8 to take on Missouri at 1 p.m.