CHICAGO (October 26, 2021) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team (10-2-2, 6-0-1 MVC) looks to secure a fourth straight Missouri Valley Conference regular season title on Thursday, October 28 when it plays host to Valparaiso in a 4 p.m. kickoff at Loyola Soccer Park.
With a win or a tie against the Beacons, the Maroon & Gold can secure the top seed in the upcoming MVC Championship and would serve as the host for the semifinal and championship games. If it defeats Valparaiso, Loyola, which is already guaranteed of an opening-round bye in the conference tournament, would become the first team in Valley history to win four consecutive outright regular season championships.
Last Time Out: Thursday's matchup in Rogers Park sees Loyola return to action for the first time since a 5-0 rout of Southern Illinois on October 17 in Carbondale, Ill.
Taylor Harrison tallied two goals in the win en route to being named the MVC Freshman of the Week, while
Jaimee Cibulka,
Abby Swanson, and
Olivia Rhodes each added single tallies.
Maddie Hausmann added four saves in goal to secure her eighth shutout, a mark that has her just one clean sheet shy of tying the single-season program record in the category.
vs. Valparaiso: Valparaiso picked up a 2-1 win over Evansville this past Saturday at Brown Field to match the Maroon & Gold with a 6-0-1 mark in MVC play as part of a 10-4-2 overall record.
Like Loyola, the Beacons enter Thursday's matchup already assured of a top-two finish in the final league table and an opening-round bye in the upcoming MVC Championship.
Under the guidance of 14th-year head coach John Marovich, Valparaiso is led in the final third by Kelsie James. An Honorable Mention All-Valley pick last spring, James has developed into one of the conference's top offensive threats, racking up an MVC-best nine goals this season in addition to three assists. Lindsey DuSatko and Dana Fish have each added three goals for a Valparaiso attack that features 11 different goal scorers on the year.
Reigning MVC Goalkeeper of the Year Nikki Coryell anchors the Beacons' defense. Also named a First Team All-Valley pick this past spring, Coryell is in the midst of another terrific campaign, having amassed five shutouts and a 0.84 goals against average that ranks second on the league leaderboard in the category.
Series Stuff: Loyola has ripped off five straight wins over Valparaiso to open up a 20-9-1 (.683) lead in the all-time series. Prior to the Beacons' joining The Valley ahead of the 2017 season, the two teams spent six years as members of the Horizon League, meeting seven times between 2007-12.
Loyola and Valparaiso last battled back on April 18 in the title game of the 2020-21 MVC Championship, with a
Freya Glen goal in the 35th minute proving to be the difference in a 1-0 triumph for the Maroon & Gold at Loyola Soccer Park.
Up Next: Loyola will begin play in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Friday, November 5 when it takes on a yet to be determined opponent in a semifinal-round tilt.
