CHICAGO (March 19, 2021) – After 512 days since its last game in Rogers Park, the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team (3-0-1, 3-0-1 MVC) will make its return to Loyola Soccer Park on Sunday afternoon when it hosts Illinois State at 1 p.m. in a rematch of last season's Missouri Valley Conference Championship title game.
Last Time Out: Freshman
Madeleine Barone's first collegiate goal was the difference as Loyola blanked Valparaiso, 1-0, last Saturday at Brown Field in Valparaiso, Ind. Barone found the back of the net in the 41
st minute as the Maroon & Gold outshot Valparaiso by a 23-1 margin, not allowing the hosts an attempt on goal. For her efforts in Loyola's two shutout wins last week, junior
Aly Kilburg was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week this past Tuesday.
vs. Illinois State: After picking up a pair of wins to open Missouri Valley Conference play, Illinois State has dropped back-to-back contests, slipping to 2-4-0 overall and 2-2-0 in Valley action. Most recently, the Redbirds dropped a 2-0 decision to Indiana State at Adelaide Street Field last Saturday. Picked to finish second in the MVC Preseason Poll, Illinois State is led by the pairing of Abby Basler and Ashley Santos, both of whom have netted three goals for an Illinois State attack that averages 1.17 goals per game. Priya Gillan has started all six games in goal for head coach Brad Silvey's side. The Redbird netminder holds a 1.50 goals against average and a 0.609 save percentage.
Series Stuff: Loyola has rattled off three straight wins over its rival to the south, closing Illinois State's lead in the all-time series to 14-7-0 (.667). Prior to that stretch, the Ramblers had won just one of their previous eight encounters with the Redbirds. In the regular season meeting between the in-state rivals last season in Normal, Ill., Loyola jumped out a three-goal lead en route to a comprehensive 4-1 victory at Adelaide Street Field. When the two teams met again in the MVC Championship title game,
Sienna Cruz and
Lindsey Hardiman each found the back of the net as Loyola turned in a dominant performance in a 2-0 win to clinch its second consecutive sweep of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Up Next: Loyola hits the road for the final time this spring on Wednesday, March 24 for a 12 p.m. (CT) tilt with Indiana State.
