The Massachusetts women’s soccer team won 2-0 against Loyola University Chicago in the first of their final three regular-season conference matchups. The Ramblers (8-3-5, 3-1-4 Atlantic 10) entered Sunday’s contest undefeated on their home turf, only allowing nine goals in the past 15 games, but the Minutewomen (10-4-2, 5-2-1 A-10) proved to be the stronger team over the course of the game. This was the first time in five games that the Ramblers played from behind.
Caroline Dickson sealed the win for the Minutewomen with just over three minutes left in regulation. Juliana Ryan cleared the ball, sending it up the middle of the field where Dickson picked it up, beating two Loyola Chicago defenders. Ramblers’ goalkeeper Allison Deardorff came to the top of the box, but Dickson fired a shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Bella Recinos put up the first goal of the game in the 28th minute. Dribbling up the right sideline, Rose Gevanthor passed the ball to Grace Pinkus, who attempted a shot, but the ball deflected off of a Loyola Chicago defender. Recinos got her foot on the ball and redirected it into the bottom left corner of the net with her left foot before jumping to avoid a collision with Deardorff. Recinos’ goal broke the Ramblers’ 389-minute shutout streak this season, where their last goal conceded was in a 1-1 tie with A-10 competitor Saint Louis in late September.
The two Minutewomen goals doubled the number of goals Loyola Chicago has conceded at home all season. UMass had an earlier chance to bring its lead to two when Emily Roberts got called for a handball in the box in the 78th minute. Ella Curry took the penalty kick for the Minutewomen, but her shot was off target and went wide to the right. Loyola Chicago had another handball in the 41st minute and UMass had a handball called on it in the 86th minute.
The Minutewomen tripled Loyola Chicago’s shots 12-4 and had four shots on goal. Karina Groff led the Minutewomen with three shots. The UMass defense held strong throughout the full 90 minutes, not allowing the Ramblers a shot on target all game. While not recording a save, UMass goalkeeper Bella Mendoza made pivotal stops that helped the Minutewomen earn their victory. On one occurrence, a Rambler crossed the ball from the left side, and Mendoza punched it away for Ashley Lamond who cleared the ball.
Loyola Chicago’s closest scoring opportunity came when Jaimee Cibulka shot the ball past Mendoza but hit the post. Taylor Harrison attempted to score after recovering the ball but shot it high over the crossbar.
Both teams picked up their share of fouls, with UMass having 10 and Loyola Chicago just behind with nine. Lydia Case was issued a yellow card in the first half for pulling on Lamond’s jersey, and Lamond earned herself a booking for unsportsmanlike behavior in the 83rd minute. Jaydn Harris and Zoe Hevey led the Ramblers in fouls with two each. Lamond, Dickson and Pinkus each had two fouls for the Minutewomen.
This victory put the Minutewomen ahead of the Ramblers in the A-10 standings, in fourth place behind Dayton, Saint Louis and Fordham. Recinos is second in the conference for game-winning goals with four behind Saint Louis’s Emily Gaebe, sixth in points with 20 and fourth in goals scored with nine. Mendoza is third in the conference with seven shutouts behind Deardorff and Dayton’s Batoul Reda who both have nine.
The Minutewomen return home to Rudd Field to play Davidson College in their final home game of the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Devin Lippman can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @devinlippman.
