BALTIMORE – Fourth-seeded Loyola University Maryland women's soccer is back in Annapolis for a second-consecutive Friday, taking on No. 1 Navy in the first of two Patriot League semifinals at 4 p.m.
The winner will face either No. 2 Holy Cross or No. 3 Army West Point in Sunday's conference championship game at 1 p.m. in Annapolis.
Last Time Out
- Hannah Hoefs fired in a game-winner from 35 yards out with 2:42 left in double overtime, as Loyola earned a dramatic 1-0 victory over Lafayette in Tuesday night's Patriot League quarterfinal at Ridley Athletic Complex.
- Ariel Tillman set up Hoefs' strike, a long-distance effort sent just under the crossbar in the center of the goal.
- Hoefs, Sarah Bayer and Beth Eversman had each had shots hit off the post prior to the extra time winner.
- The victory was the first ever for Loyola in the Patriot League tournament. The Greyhounds had previously advanced to the semifinals in 2015, topping Colgate on penalty kicks following a scoreless draw.
- Paige Sim made three saves while recording her fifth solo shutout of 2019. The freshman GK is 6-2-4 with a 0.51 GAA and a .883 save percentage.
Series History
- Navy leads 8-3-3 in a series which dates back to 1993.
- The Mids have a 4-1-3 edge since Loyola joined the Patriot League prior to the 2013 season, with the lone Greyhound victory a 2-1 double overtime triumph at Ridley on Sept. 24, 2016. Current senior Casey McKenzie scored the GWG for Loyola in the 106th minute.
- The teams played to a scoreless draw during their regular season meeting last Friday. The Mids led 25-2 in shots and 7-2 in corners, but Paige Sim made seven stops, including one off a penalty kick, to secure a point for the Greyhounds.
About the Mids
- Navy (15-2-2, 6-1-2) has three Patriot League tournament championships in program history, most recently topping the conference in 2007.
- The Mids received two of the Patriot League's six major awards, with Alex Jackson named Defender of the Year while Kaitlynn Johns earned Rookie of the Year honors.
- Jackson, Kristina Dzhandzhapanyan (2 G, 4 A), Cadie Higginson (2 G, 2 A) and GK Sydney Fortson (0.42 GAA, .825 save pct.) were all named first team All-Patriot League, leading a conference-high eight Navy players recognized overall.
- Navy ranks fourth in Division I in goals-against average (0.36), surrendering a total of seven goals in 19 games (two goals in nine Patriot League games).
- Fourteen different players have at least one goal. Baseley McClaskey (4 G, 5 A) leads the offense with 13 points.
Postseason Awards
- Loyola was heavily featured in the Patriot League's postseason awards for women's soccer, which were released earlier this week.
- Hannah Hoefs was honored as the conference's Midfielder of the Year, becoming the second Greyhound to receive a major award since Loyola joined the Patriot League in 2013.
- Hoefs and Sarah Bayer were each first team All-Patriot League performers, while Paige Sim and Julia Gray landed on the second team and Kaleigh Gallagher received third team accolades.
- Bayer and Gray were then recognized Thursday as Academic All-Patriot League performers, becoming the first Loyola players to make that team since 2015.
Goals Hard to Come By
- Six of Loyola's last seven games have been scoreless at the end of regulation, with the Greyhounds posting a record of 2-2-3 during that stretch.
- Goalkeeper Paige Sim and a Loyola defensive unit which includes Julia Gray, Claire Beath, Beth Eversman, Mary Theresa Corcoran, Maddie Hart and Nicole Rivas have held opponents to one goal or fewer in each of the team's last 11 games dating back to Sept. 21, surrendering a total of seven goals during that stretch.
- Loyola was held without a goal for its last 506 minutes of game action prior to Hannah Hoefs' game-winner on Tuesday.
Quick Notes
- Paige Sim (6-2-4, 0.51 GAA, .883 save pct., five shutouts) leads the Patriot League in save percentage (10th in Division I) and ranks second in goals-against average (18th in DI). She has allowed one goal or fewer in each of her first 13 collegiate appearances.
- The Greyhounds are 5-0 this season when scoring multiple goals.
- Ariel Tillman (2 G, 3 A) ranks third on the team with seven points this season.
- Six Loyola players (Hannah Hoefs, Sarah Bayer, Beth Eversman, Claire Beath, Maddie Hart, Julia Gray) have started each of the team's first 18 games.
- Loyola's last NCAA tournament appearance came in 2012 (12-6-4, MAAC tournament champions).
- Four Loyola players combined for eight Patriot League weekly awards this season, with Hoefs (3x), Sim (3x), Bayer and Kaleigh Gallagher all receiving recognition.
