CHICAGO (September 8, 2021) – The Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team will be back in action this week as it travels to face two opponents from the BIG EAST Conference.  On Thursday, Loyola will make the short trip south to Lincoln Park for a 4 p.m. tilt with DePaul at Wish Field.  A 12 p.m. (CT) matchup against Xavier on Sunday at Corcoran Field in Cincinnati, Ohio closes out the weekend.
 
Last Time Out: Loyola is coming off a week that saw it battle Wisconsin to a 0-0 double-overtime draw in Rogers Park before dropping a 3-0 decision on the road at Nebraska.  In Thursday's meeting with the Badgers, senior goalkeeper Maddie Hausmann made a pair of saves en route to recording her third clean sheet of the year.  Loyola found itself in an early hole on Sunday in Lincoln, Neb., conceding just over five minutes in as the host Cornhuskers dealt the Ramblers their first loss of the season.
 
vs. DePaul: DePaul sits at 2-3-0 on the year after 1-0 road losses to Milwaukee and Michigan last week. In their last appearance at Wish Field, the Blue Demons routed city-rival UIC by a final count of 3-0 back on August 29.
 
A new era is underway in Lincoln Park following the departure of Erin Chastain, who served as DePaul's head coach for 14 seasons. Michele O'Brien, who served on Chastain's staff for 12 years, was named the program's fourth head coach on June 28, 2021.  After going 3-5-0 (2-5-0 BIG EAST) this past spring, DePaul was tabbed ninth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll.
 
O'Brien's attack is led by Morgan Turner, who has a team-high three goals to her name across five appearances this season.  Mollie Eriksson has started all five games in goal, posting a pair of shutouts en route to a 0.80 goals against average.
 
vs. Xavier: Off to its best start since the 1997 season, Xavier sports a perfect 5-0-0 mark following a 2-1 win on the road at Illinois last Thursday.  The Musketeers will welcome Ball State to The Queen City on Thursday ahead of their meeting with the Ramblers on Sunday afternoon.
 
Xavier closed the 2021 spring season at 3-6-0 (2-4-0 BIG EAST) and were slotted seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll.
 
Fifth-year head coach Nate Lie's offense features a balanced attack with six different goal scorers, led by the pairing of Chloe Netzel and Mathilde Rasmussen, who have each netted two goals this season.  Olivia Jenkins has impressed in net, allowing opposing offenses just three goals (0.60 GAA) and notching a pair of shutouts.
 
Series Stuff: Thursday's battle in Lincoln Park marks the 21st installment of the Red Line Rivalry.   Loyola and DePaul have evenly split the previous 20 encounters to a tune of 9-9-2 (.500), but DePaul has had the upper hand of late, going 4-1-1 in its last six meetings against the Ramblers, including a 2-0 win back on September 12, 2019 at Loyola Soccer Park.  Loyola will be seeking its first win at Wish Field since a 1-0 win on August 19, 2012.
 
Fellow Jesuit institutions, Loyola and Xavier will meet for only the ninth time on Sunday in Cincinnati.  Xavier holds a slim 4-3-1 (.562) edge in the all-time series, but the two teams have not met since a 6-1 Loyola win on September 5, 2008.
 
Up Next: Loyola returns home at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 17 to host Indiana State in its Missouri Valley Conference opener.  After battling the Sycamores, the Ramblers will wrap up non-conference play against Eastern Michigan in a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday, September 19 at Loyola Soccer Park.