BALTIMORE –
Jillian Wilson and
Sydni Black scored in the final 37 seconds of the first half to jumpstart a 6-0 Loyola University Maryland run that spanned both halves as the Greyhounds beat visiting Army West Point, 13-8, to claim their seventh Patriot League Championship on Saturday at Ridley Athletic Complex.
Black finished with five goals and an assist during the title game – after scoring four on Thursday against Lehigh in the semifinals – and was named Patriot League Championships Most Valuable Player.
Emily Wills added two goals and two assists, while
Chase Boyle and
Meg Hillman both scored twice.
Lauren Spence made nine total saves, six in the final quarter, and joined Black on the All-Tournament Team along with Black,
Katie Detwiler and
Jillian Wilson.
The Greyhounds have now won seven of the nine Patriot League Championships contested since they joined the conference in 2014 with today's accounting for their fourth in a row.
Loyola will learn its NCAA Championships foe and location on Sunday during the Selection Show that will start at 9 p.m. on ESPNU and ESPN+.
Boyle and Black scored the first two goals of the game, and Wills made it 3-1 with 8:08 to go in the first quarter before the Black Knights scored the next two on free-position shots.
Georgia Latch put Loyola back in front as she dodged from 'X' and scored on the left side of the crease with 9:32 to go in the second, but Army West Point's Brigid Duffy knotted the game with an unassisted goal for the Black Knights with 2:38 left in the first half.
Wilson broke through with an unassisted goal, getting free on the right side to score at a close angle with 37 ticks on the clock. Black made it 6-4 going into the locker room with a free-position goal two seconds before the break.
Loyola (17-2 overall) then held Army West Point scoreless for the first 10-plus minutes of the third quarter, and Wills, Boyle, Hillman and Black all scored for the Greyhounds. Black's fast-break tally with a
Sarah Engle assist at 5:06 pushed the lead to 10-4.
Army West Point (15-3) would score the next two to draw within 10-6 on Duffy's second of the game 49 seconds into the fourth quarter, but Black had back-to-back unassisted goals to give Loyola a 12-6 lead at 8:46.
Hillman's second of the game, coming off a Wills feed, made it 13-6 Loyola with 7:09 left in regulation before Army West Point scored the last two goals for the final tallies.
Saturday's win gives the Greyhounds their 17
th overall conference tournament and secures their 23
rd NCAA appearance all-time.
