Women's Soccer

Loyola Eases Past Valparaiso, Claims Third Straight MVC Title, 1-0

Ramblers will learn of NCAA Tournament opponent on Monday

A goal in the 35th minute from Loyola senior Freya Glen and another stout defensive showing sent the top-seeded Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team (8-1-1, 6-1-1 MVC) past third-seeded Valparaiso (5-4-5, 3-2-3 MVC), 1-0, this afternoon in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship title game at Loyola Soccer Park.  Today's victory clinches the Ramblers' third straight Valley tournament crown, marking just the fourth time in the 25-year history of women's soccer in the league that a team has accomplished the feat, and sends the program to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time.

2020-21 Women's Soccer Championship Bracket (PDF)

How It Happened
Both goalkeepers were called into action within the opening 10 minutes of play.  Sophomore Megan Nemec forced a comfortable save out of reigning MVC Goalkeeper of the Year Nikki Coryell in the ninth minute, before sophomore Grace Droessler went to the ground less than 30 seconds later to turn away Natalie Graf's try.  Coryell shined again in the 29th minute, recording a pair of point-blank stops in rapid succession as she denied Glen and junior Aly Kilburg following a Rambler corner kick. 
 
Loyola's pressure proved to be a harbinger of things to come, with the Maroon & Gold finding their breakthrough with just over 10 minutes to play in the opening stanza.  After a scramble inside the 18-yard box saw Nemec hit the crossbar, Glen found herself in the right place, pushing the resulting rebound past Coryell at her near post from six yards out to put the Ramblers on top, 1-0.  Droessler added a pair of saves in the half's closing stages, as Loyola took a one-goal lead into the intermission.
 
Senior Jenna Ross made a bid to double the lead just seven minutes into the second half, unleashing a right-footed blast from 25 yards out that was grabbed by Coryell.  The Valparaiso netminder kept the visitors within striking distance as the half wore on, turning away junior Abby Swanson in the 74th minute.
 
Loyola continued to dictate the tempo as time wound down in regulation.  Sophomore Olivia Knab sent a free kick just over the bar in the 83rd minute, while senior Katharine Stephens nearly curled a looping attempt in at the far post less than a minute after, narrowly missing wide.  The Rambler defensive unit had more than enough offensive support on the day though, holding Valparaiso to just one shot during the second half as Loyola secured its third sweep of the MVC regular season and tournament titles in as many years.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Megan Nemec, Loyola (MVP)
Freya Glen, Loyola
Abby Swanson, Loyola
Lindsey Hardiman, Loyola
Keegan Maris, Valparaiso
Lindsey Dusatko, Valparaiso
Nikki Coryell, Valparaiso
Abby Basler, Illinois State
Priya Gillian, Illinois State
Danielle Varner, Indiana State
Isabella Hunter, Indiana State
Emilie Hill, Evansville
Allison Whitaker, UNI

Elite 17 Award -- Keegan Maris, Valparaiso


Looking At The Box Score
  • Glen tallied her third goal of the year this afternoon, moving into a tie for second on the Rambler roster in the category.
  • Loyola finished the day with a 19-4 edge in shots, led by a game-high six attempts from Nemec, who was credited with her Valley-leading ninth assist on Glen's goal. Valpo's Coryell made five saves while limiting the Ramblers to the one goal.
  • Droessler recorded three saves en route to notching her second shutout of the year.
  • Valpo was making its first appearance in the title match of the MVC Championship since joining the conference. Valpo’s last title match came in the Horizon League in 2014.
  • Valpo fell to Loyola by a 1-0 final for the second time this season, as the Ramblers won by the same scoreline at Brown Field.
  • The Ramblers’ goal late in the first half snapped the Valpo defense’s shutout streak at 347 consecutive minutes, dating back to April 3.
  • Loyola finished the match with a 19-6 advantage in shots and put six on goal to Valpo’s three.
  • Valpo closes the spring 2021 campaign with a 5-4-5 record, its first season above .500 since the 2014 season.
  • As a team, Valpo surrendered the fewest goals in a single season in program history (8) and posted a 0.52 GAA, third-best in a single season.
  • Coryell’s 0.52 GAA ranks second on Valpo’s individual single-season chart, while her .881 save percentage is also second-best in program history.
  • Valpo surrendered more than one goal just once in 14 matches and had just one contest (2-0 regular season win over Indiana State) decided by more than one goal.
     
Up Next
Loyola will learn of its opponent for the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, which will be staged exclusively in North Carolina, during Monday's NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Selection Show at 12 p.m. (CT).