Women’s Soccer Suffers First Loss of the Season

The Loyola women’s soccer team fell to Northwestern University 2-0 Aug. 14 in their first regular season game. Redshirt second-year goalkeeper Allison Deardorff led the Ramblers with three saves while fourth-year forward Meghan Economos led the offense with two shots not on target.

An offside call against Loyola started the match before a foul was called on third-year Wildcat defender Maddie Finnerty, who the Ramblers struggled to gain momentum over in the upcoming plays.

After a wide-right shot by Economos, fouls from second-year midfielder Olivia Anderson and fourth-year forward Molly Pistorius granted a Northwestern possession. A shot by fourth-year midfielder Caterina Regazzoni sailed over Northwestern’s net, and second-year midfielder and defender Ava Goodin’s aim was stopped by a Rambler. 

The 21st minute found the Wildcats at the net for an unsuccessful corner kick. The Ramblers drove down the field and a subsequent shot by third-year midfielder Maggie Schmidt was saved by Northwestern first-year goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson. 

Another shot by Economos swept to the right, and two more corner kicks were taken by Northwestern. Neither made contact with the net. 

A Rambler corner kick in the 32nd minute was followed by a foul on third-year forward Jadyn Harris with no result from the Wildcats. A shot by first-year Northwestern forward Liz Cardwell went high and was grabbed by Deardorff. 

In the 40th minute, first-year Wildcat defender and midfielder Selma Sol Sigurjonsdottir’s pass made it to second-year forward Mary Stroebel, who sunk the ball in the back of the net, giving Northwestern a 1-0 lead. 

After a failed Northwestern corner kick, Stroebel’s attempt at a second goal cruised over to the left. The half ended with a foul on Anderson and a possession Northwestern wasn’t able to capitalize on.

Loyola head coach Jon Sandoval said the team gave Northwestern a large advantage, and their offensive strategy wasn’t as strong as it should have been. 

“The first half we gave them a little bit too much respect and too much space and time on the ball,” Sandoval said. “Then when we got the ball, we were too indecisive in those moments.”

The second half started with a Northwestern corner kick and a shot by second-year forward Kennedy Roesch, recording a save for Deardorff.

A foul on Regazzoni allowed Loyola possession of the ball early in the half. Shots by Pistorius and third-year forward and midfielder Zoe Hevey went wide of the net.

Following a wide right shot by Roesch, fouls were called on first-year forward Ava Fleming and second-year midfielder Lydia Case. Regazzoni’s shot sailed into the center of the net, but it was stopped by Deardorff.

Schmidt’s shot in the 63rd minute went to the bottom center and was caught by Nelson. A foul on first-year defender Abby Sudkamp gave Northwestern the ball but no shot resulted. 

Subsequent fouls on Hevey kept the ball with Northwestern. An offside call in the 74th minute gave the Ramblers another chance to even the score, but a shot by redshirt second-year forward Emily Rossi was snagged by Nelson. 

Hevey attempted a shot in the 83rd minute, but the ball soared over the top of the net. A foul on Harris gave Northwestern the ball, where second-year midfielder and forward Alex Fallon’s pass connected with Roesch, whose shot sank into the right corner of the net.

Back-to-back fouls on Regazzoni went unresponded by the Ramblers, securing the 2-0 victory for the Wildcats. 

Sandoval said the team changed their belief in the second half, resulting in more successful play despite their ultimate loss. 

“Once we’re able to change that mindset, we will have some successful moments, but we still have to work on some things in the attacking third,” Sandoval said. “I was relatively happy with the way that we responded in the second half.”

The Ramblers continue their season cross town Aug. 24 against DePaul University. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.