NORMAL, Ill. (October 13, 2021)
In Short…
Goals from junior
Megan Demski and graduate student
Kailee Coonan helped propel the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team to a 2-0 win over Illinois State (4-10-1, 2-3-1 MVC) this evening at Adelaide Street Field in Normal, Ill. Tonight's triumph sees the Ramblers remain unbeaten in Missouri Valley Conference play, improving to 5-0-1 in league action and 9-2-2 overall.
Head Coach Barry Bimbi's Thoughts…
"Really proud of the effort tonight. Coming here is always tough. Between Illinois State's athleticism, playing on grass, and the conditions after this afternoon's rain, I thought our girls adjusted really well and dominated territorially from beginning to end. It's a shame we didn't get a couple more goals, but two was enough tonight because our defense was very solid and Maddie (Hausmann) did well in the moments in which she was asked to respond."
How It Happened
Loyola dominated possession from the onset in the first half, working tirelessly to find an avenue through Redbird defense. Freshman
Taylor Harrison came within inches of an opener in the 17
th minute, sending a feed from junior
Megan Nemec towards the far post, only for Illinois State goalkeeper Priya Gillen to make a diving save. Shortly after, senior
Bailey Faulkner took aim with a free kick from 20 yards out, but narrowly curled her effort wide of the far post.
Another chance from a set piece provided the Ramblers a chance to get on the board in the 32
nd minute, as sophomore
Madeleine Barone saw her blast parried away by Gillen. Senior goalkeeper
Maddie Hausmann was tested for the first time two minutes after, tipping Kasey Neidhart's long-distance effort out of play.
Loyola found the night's first goal in the 39
th minute. Following a spirited run down the right side by Nemec, the junior fed back across the face of goal to Demski, who directed her shot from seven yards out in at the far post to send the Ramblers into halftime with a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
Both sides had chances in the second stanza's first quarter hour. Allison Baker made a bid for an equalizer only 39 seconds in, sending her try from distance just wide of the top corner of Hausmann's net. Nemec was back in the mix again in the 58
th minute, feeding junior
Amanda Cassidy, who saw her shot from point-blank range denied by Gillen.
Loyola put the game away in the 73
rd minute. After junior
Kyrsten Pellikan saw Gillen deflect her initial try, Coonan poked the resulting rebound across the line, upping the lead to 2-0 as Loyola cruised to its fifth Valley win of the year.
Looking At The Numbers
- Following tonight's result, Loyola has now won six straight games over Illinois State.
- Demski's notched her third goal of the season and second game-winning tally.
- Coonan added her second goal of the year during the second half.
- Nemec dished out her team-high fifth assist on Demski's opener, while Pellikan and graduate
Katharine Stephens were both credited with helpers on Coonan's goal.
- Hausmann made a pair of saves in goal en route to her seventh shutout, a mark which leads all Missouri Valley Conference netminders.
Up Next
Loyola takes on Southern Illinois on Sunday, October 17 in its road conference finale. Kickoff from the Lew Hartzog Track & Field Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.
