LEADING OFF
After finishing the 2022 season 8-8-3 earning the program's first Atlantic 10 tournament berth, the Ramblers look to explode in their second season in the conference. Loyola Chicago was tabbed fifth in the A10 Preseason Poll earlier this week ahead of the season opener at Illinois. Kickoff with the Illini is set for 7 p.m. in Champaign, Illinois.
QUICK KICKS
• Loyola Chicago was selected fifth in this year's Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll earlier this week. The Ramblers earned 158 votes in the poll and sit behind Massachusetts in fourth. UMass earned one first-place vote, while Saint Louis was crowned the preseason favorite with the remaining 14 votes.
• The Ramblers posted an 8-8-3 overall record and a 4-5-1 finish in A10 play last season. They earned the No. 8 seed in the A10 Tournament for their first ever berth as part of the conference. The 2022 season came to an end in the first round to the eventual champs, Saint Louis.
• Loyola returns 18 letterwinners to the 2023 roster, including nine starters. Among top returners is senior defender Alaina Abel. Abel was tabbed to the A10 Second Team last year. She helped the Ramblers post five shutouts and played every minute of the regular season.
• Naya Lipkens will return in goal for Loyola. She earned one Defensive Player of the Week award last year. To end the season, Lipkens held a .90 goals against average and made 64 saves.
• In addition to the returners, Loyola added nine newcomers. Eight are freshman who look to log their first collegiate minutes, while Kenedi Jones is a junior transfer out of Lewis. Jones was a two-time Delahanty Award Winner and tallied two assists during her two-year campaign at Lewis.
• Barry Bimbi enters his 13th season as head coach of the Ramblers. Bimbi notched his 100th career win last year and sits at 106-90-29 overall ahead of the 2023 season. The women's soccer program is closing in on its 250th win since its inception in 1992 with an overall record of 246-314-45.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
Illinois played two exhibition matches during the 2023 preseason and took home two shutout wins. In the opener, the Illini handed SEMO a 3-0 loss and followed up with another 2-0 win vs. Illinois State. Illinois wrapped up the 2022 season at the 7-7-4 mark. In the Big 10, the Illini missed out on the league tournament with a 2-5-3 record and 10th place finish in the standings.
ILLINI TO WATCH
• Makala Woods is Illinois' top scorer returning from last season. She found the back of the net three times. Woods scored her first career goal last season vs. Toledo. She added one against Nebraska and one to tie the game vs. Minnesota. Earlier this week, Woods was named to the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch list.
• Maeve Jones also added six points last season with a pair of goals and two assist. She made 16 starts for the Illini.
• In goal, Julia Cili logged every minute in 2022 and returns to the lineup. Cili made 99 saves on 266 shots faced in 2022. She allowed 37 goals to end the year with a 2.06 goals against average.
SERIES HISTORY
Since 2009, the Illini lead the all-time series 0-3-1. The draw came last season. The Ramblers netted a goal in the second minute of action before the Illini forced a draw with the tying goal in the 71st.
