The Massachusetts women’s soccer team kickstarted its Atlantic 10 championship run with a 1-0 victory over Loyola Chicago Saturday afternoon.

The No. 3 Minutewomen (12-4-3, 6-2-2 A-10) returned to Rudd Field to host the No. 6 Ramblers (9-5-5, 4-2-4 A-10) after ending the regular season with a 2-2 draw against VCU.

Saturday’s matchup was decided early in the first half after the Minutewomen were awarded their second corner kick. Taken from the left of Loyola Chicago goalkeeper Allison Deardorff’s net, Ella Curry curled the ball into the bottom right to give UMass the early lead.

Curry’s goal was her fourth of the season and stood as the lone goal in the contest, securing the Minutewomen’s advancement in the tournament within the first nine minutes of play.

“The goal from [Curry] was great but it was the opportunities that we created throughout the game to keep the pressure on [Loyola Chicago] too,” head coach Jason Dowiak said. “Was something that we’ve been consistent with and I’m really proud of too.”

UMass remained consistently in control of the game despite being outshot by the Ramblers nine to six and being awarded just four corners to Loyola Chicago’s five.

Goalkeeper Bella Mendoza had a quiet game thanks to strong defensive work from her teammates. She only had to make three saves.

During the second half, the physicality went up a notch as the Ramblers took every chance to even the score. They committed 10 total fouls, six being committed in the last 45 minutes of play.

Loyola Chicago’s Taylor Harrison received the sole yellow card of the game in the 44th minute. After charging towards Minutewoman Ashley Lamond near the UMass bench, Harrison stepped on Lamond’s foot, sending Lamond to the ground.

“I think that’s the best we’ve actually ever…really navigated [and] managed the physicality and kind of inconsistency of what was being called versus what was not,” Dowiak said. “[Loyola Chicago] pressed us in a different way than the last time we played them and even in the first half.”

Dowiak attributed UMass’ composure on the field to the maturity and experience that its many seniors bring to the team. He also said the team was able to contain its emotions with calls being made in the final five minutes of play, allowing the Minutewomen to keep control of the game.

During these five minutes, the Minutewomen kept the ball in the Ramblers half of the field, giving them little chance to get close to Mendoza’s net.

With two free kicks awarded in the last minute and a half, Curry kept the ball in UMass’ possession, rattling Loyola Chicago’s back line.

With victory in hand, the Minutewomen will likely be on the road for their semifinal matchup. Their opponent will be decided Saturday evening with the result of the No. 1 seeded Saint Louis versus No. 8 Davidson game.

No. 2 Dayton defeated No. 7 VCU Friday evening. The Flyers will advance to the semifinals as the second highest seeded team if St. Louis secures a win over Davidson to advance as the highest seeded team in the tournament.

“We’ve been really good on the road… we [may] get the opportunity to go to [Dayton’s] place and kind of get some redemption from the last time that we played there,” Dowiak said. “Again, I think the maturity of the group is going to be a big catalyst for wherever we are playing.”

The Minutewomen will be back in action on Wednesday Nov. 6, with the opponent and location still TBD.

Emma Bensley can be reached at [email protected].