Women’s Soccer Remains Undefeated at Home in Labor Day Battle

Loyola women’s soccer defeated Bowling Green State University 1-0 Sunday, Sept. 1. Fourth-year midfielder Taylor Harrison scored the only goal for the Ramblers in the 55th minute. 

The Ramblers are now 3-1-1, their best start to a season since 2021. During the match, Loyola maintained 55% possession and recorded 11 shots outdoing the Falcons’ nine. 

Graduate defender Alaina Abel got the Rambler defense rolling, blocking a Bowling Green shot in the midfield and sliding to stop a shot on target. On the offensive side, Harrison recovered after being tripped and stole the ball from the Falcons. 

Graduate midfielder Olivia Rhodes attempted a sliding steal of her own, but was called for a foul. The resulting free kick by Falcons’ first-year forward Regan Riley was wide left of the net. 

Rhodes continued to limit the Bowling Green offense, stopping multiple shot attempts in the 13th minute. Abel added to the defensive effort when she redirected a Riley shot on goal. 

In the 17th minute, fourth-year defender Ava Metaj stepped in for second-year goalkeeper Allison Deardorff to stop a rebound attempt after Deardorff dove to block the first shot attempt by a streaking Falcon. 

A shot by second-year forward Zoey Hevey sailed behind the net before the first Rambler substitutions were made. Fourth-year defender Kenedi Jones and first-year forward Jocelyn Leigh checked into the match, replacing redshirt first-year forward Emily Rossi and fourth-year defender Ava Metaj. 

In the 24th minute, the Ramblers were awarded a corner kick which was received by Harrison, who shot it towards the bottom center of the net. First-year midfielder Olivia Anderson renounced the goalkeeper’s deflection for another unsuccessful shot on target. 

Anderson attempted another shot which went to the top right of the net before an unsuccessful Falcons’ corner kick. After consecutive shot attempts from first-year Falcon midfielder Brynn Gardner gave possession back to the Ramblers. Jones received control of the ball and shot it low and to the center of the net.

Leigh shot the ball right into the hands of redshirt third-year Falcon goalkeeper Madison Vukas. The Ramblers received a corner kick in the 38th minute which was sent to Rhodes who drilled it into the back of the net, but the goal was called back when the Ramblers were charged with offsides. 

Jones took a corner kick in the 42nd minute which was received by Leigh who connected and got off a shot, only for the ball to be picked up by Vukas. A diving save by Vukas to stop a shot from third-year midfielder Faith Grisdale was the final action of the scoreless first half.

Second-year Bowling Green midfielder Emme Butera started the second half being fouled, giving fourth-year midfielder Jaimee Cibulka a free kick chance which was on goal. 

Minutes later, the Falcons were called for offsides, leading to a possession change. Hevey took control of the ball, delivering a clean pass across to Harrison, who catapulted the ball and herself into the net giving the Ramblers a decisive 1-0 lead.

After the celebration and missed shots by both teams, Abel was charged with a yellow card in the 61st minute after tripping a Bowling Green player.

Both teams were called for multiple fouls before Leigh and second-year Falcon defender Taylor Green recorded the last shots of the match for their respective teams. 

After the slow first half, head coach Angela Staveskie said she had to keep the team motivated and remind them how to play “Ramblers soccer.”

“Sometimes, it’s what you say, but oftentimes putting someone else in, adding subs,” Staveskie said. “We have so much depth and energy on this team, so just adding something different, doing something different, can motivate the group in the moment.” 

The Ramblers face the Rockets of University of Toledo in their next home matchup Thursday, Sept. 5. Kick off is set for 5 p.m. and broadcasting information has yet to be released.