Taylor Harrison Spearheads Success on the Pitch

When scanning the Loyola women’s soccer stat sheet, one name jumps out — Taylor Harrison. The third-year midfielder has scored six out of the team’s 15 total goals and has started all 13 games of the 2023-24 season.  

Although Harrison has mainly put her offensive talents on display, head coach Barry Bimbi said he really values her defensive abilities. He said he considers her main contribution to be on the defensive end as she follows through on the responsibilities and toughness asked of her each game. 

Bimbi also praised her offensive efforts, a role he said she has been able to step into this year when the team needed extra offensive power. Bimbi went on to say that Harrison’s confidence in taking on the responsibility of being a goal scorer is what has allowed her to succeed in doing so this year.

“Some people think they’re a goal-scorer but don’t want the responsibility in big games to do that,” Bimbi said. “She’s taken that responsibility to be the main goal-scorer this year, you know, just calling for what the group needs at this time.”

To best prepare herself for games, Harrison said she finds it best to keep a simple routine. 

“Pretty much eat a bagel, go out there, do a dance party and then get on the field,” Harrison said. 

Harrison tries not to put too much pressure on herself even with her success. Instead, she said she focuses on the little things she can do throughout the game to make the biggest impact on the whole team.

“I kind of focus on what I have to do coming up into this game and try not to put too much pressure on myself,” Harrison said. “Just kind of focusing on the little things I can do to help out the team and make an impact in this game but also go out there and have fun and kind of just put on a show for everybody.” 

By the end of Harrison’s first season at Loyola in the 2021-22 season, she racked up five goals, three assists and 16 shots on goal while playing 1,077 minutes. She also received several conference honors, such as the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team, All-MVC honorable mention and MVC Freshman of the Year. 

In her second year at Loyola, Harrison ended the season starting 20 of 21 games with two goals, one assist and 1,468 minutes played. 

Following Harrison’s breakout season, Loyola Athletics announced they would be joining the Atlantic-10 conference, meaning tougher competition for the Ramblers. Harrison’s confidence in her abilities on the pitch wasn’t affected by the realignment, according to Bimbi.

“If your core values are right as a player, that you’re gonna be a hard worker and you’re tough and you can complete every day it doesn’t matter what league you play in,” Bimbi said. “She doesn’t back down, you know. She’s little, but she’s mighty out there and we trust her to get the job done every day, and I think she’s made the transition to the A-10 fairly smoothly.”

Harrison said she found it best not to worry too much about the new opponents but rather to worry about her own team and how they would stack up in new conference play their first year. 

Harrison said she enjoys playing against the more difficult teams found in the A-10. While she said the goals she scored in the MVC were nice, she finds these A-10 goals to be more rewarding.

“Definitely didn’t expect to be scoring this many goals in the season so far, so it’s definitely nice to see that and feel that playing good teams,” Harrison said. “And it’s a little bit more rewarding now that we’re in the A-10 because we are playing better teams and it just means more to me I guess and to the whole team when we can all score goals against good teams.”

In addition to being the top goal scorer on the team, Harrison has taken on off-the-field responsibilities as team captain alongside fifth-year goalkeeper Naya Lipkens and fourth-year defender Alaina Abel.

Fellow third-year midfielder and longtime roommate Jaimee Cibulka said she admires Harrison’s ability to balance having the respect of their teammates as a captain while ensuring practices and games remain fun environments. 

“I think it’s really cool to see,” Cibulka said. “She’s obviously always been a really great player but to see her role as a leader on the team, she’s definitely grown the most in her leadership and just taking the younger players under her wing, too.”

Harrison said she has found the best way to motivate her teammates, especially the underclassmen, is to encourage them after they make a mistake. She believes the best way to help her rookie teammates succeed is to give them the courage and confidence to keep going play after play.

“Picking them up after they mess up or make a mistake is always the best way to go, I think,” Harrison said. 

Bimbi also commented on Harrison’s ability to lead and encourage her teammates, adding that she makes it a point to motivate the team in practice.

“She doesn’t take practices off,” Bimbi said. “She’s there to compete. And you know, I think she really lifts the level of every training session and she lifts the level of her teammates. She’s demanding. If she sees someone that’s not working hard, she’ll motivate them to get going and work a little bit harder.” 

Off the field, Bimbi described Harrison as being a completely different person. While she plays seriously and competitively, she otherwise helps bring the team together with her positivity. 

“I think, off the field, she definitely enjoys the moments a little bit,” Bimbi said. “A lot of laughing, likes to have fun you know really kind of brings the group together both on and off the field.” 

Away from soccer, Cibulka said she considers Harrison to be one of her best friends and someone she can go to with anything.

“It’s really nice to be able to have a teammate on the field and also a friend off the field,” Cibulka said. “And Taylor’s able to really embody both of those,”

Harrison and the Ramblers return to Loyola Soccer Park Oct. 12 in a game against the University of Richmond Spiders. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. 

Featured image by Holden Green | The Phoenix