CHICAGO (November 12, 2021) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team (13-2-2, 7-0-1 MVC) will begin play in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday, November 13 when it travels to West Lafayette, Ind. to take on No. 24 Purdue at Folk Field.
 
The Ramblers enter the NCAA Tournament on a 10-game unbeaten tear, with their last setback coming in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of then No. 23 Xavier back on September 12 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
 
Last Time Out: A Jenna Ross goal in the 29^th minute of play opened the floodgates, as Loyola cruised to a 4-0 win over Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship title game this past Sunday at Loyola Soccer Park.  Amanda Cassidy, who was named Tournament MVP, found the back of the net just three minutes after Ross, while a Purple Aces own goal and a Megan Demski tally in the second half added insurance for the Maroon & Gold.
 
vs. Purdue: Currently sitting at No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25, Purdue enters the NCAA Tournament at 14-4-2 overall.  The Boilermakers, who dropped a 4-1 decision to then No. 13 Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, finished 8-2-0 in Big Ten Conference play en route to a runner-up finish in the league table. 
 
Making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009, Purdue is led by seventh-year head coach Drew Roff.  Prior to his arrival in West Lafayette, Ind., Roff spent eight seasons as the head coach at Illinois State, where he led the Redbirds to six MVC regular season titles and five appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Five Boilermakers earned All-Big Ten honors, led by Big Ten Forward of the Year Sarah Griffith.  Griffith has proven to be one of the nation's most dynamic scorers, having fired home a league-high 15 goals, a mark which has her tied for fifth nationally.  Fellow First Team All-Big Ten pick Emily Mathews is also a threat in the final third, with five goals and a team-high seven assists to her name.
 
Anchoring the Purdue defense in goal is veteran Marisa Bova.  The Second Team All-Big Ten selection holds a 0.98 goals against average and has recorded six shutouts across 20 appearances in 2021.
 
Series Stuff: Loyola and Purdue have met twice previously, with the Boilermakers prevailing in both matchups.
 
Saturday's tilt at Folk Field will mark the Maroon & Gold's third clash with a Big Ten Conference foe in 2021.  The Ramblers battled Wisconsin to a 0-0 double-overtime stalemate on September 2 in Rogers Park before dropping a 3-0 road decision to Nebraska on September 5.
 
Loyola owns a 3-40-6 (.122) mark against current Big Ten members, with the last victory coming in a 3-0 triumph over Iowa back on September 10, 2017.
 
Up Next: The winner of Saturday's matchup will advance on to the Second Round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, where it will face the winner of the First Round tilt between Notre Dame and SIUE.