The Matchup
- The Greyhounds will continue Patriot League play on Saturday afternoon as they will travel to face the Lafayette Leopards.
- This will be the 14th matchup between the two programs, with Loyola holding the series advantage and have won four of the last five games.
Quick Hits
- Baylee DeSmit is coming off of a big 2023 season, as she was named as the Preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year.
- She has continued her run of play from 2023 to start 2024, as she has nine goals and three assists in ten games this season.
- Their tie vs Hofstra was the Greyhounds first tie since October 12, 2022, where they tied with Bucknell, 0-0.
- The Greyhounds are 4-1-1 in their last six Patriot League openers (excluding 2020), including winning their last four, before tying against Boston.
Greyhounds at Home
- The Greyhounds were dominant at home during the 2023 season, tallying a 9-2 record at Ridley last season.
- Over the last four seasons, Loyola has a 20-11-7 record at home, and are 3-1-3 at home this season.
- So far this season, Loyola has gone 3-1-3 at home, outscoring opponents 8-6 this season. Loyola has scored at least one goal in every home game this season, including a season-high three goals against Northern Colorado.
- Nine wins at home last season is tied for the second most wins at home in a single-season, tying with 2005 when they finished 9-0 at home. The most wins at home came in 1996 when the Greyhounds went 11-0-1 at home.
Non-Conference Recap
- The Greyhounds finished a tough non-conference schedule with a 4-2-2 record, as they begin conference play against Boston.
- Loyola began the season with a tough 2-1 loss against Dayton, before bouncing back with two 1-0 wins against Longwood and George Washington.
- The Greyhounds then battled to a 1-0 loss to a top-ten regionally ranked Virginia Tech team on the road. Loyola kept them scoreless until the last ten minutes.
- After a bounce-back 3-1 win over Northern Colorado, the Greyhounds battled to back-to-back 1-1 draws against Hofstra and Wagner.
- Loyola finished non-conference play on a high note, as they gave Monmouth their first loss of the season, as they won 1-0. Coming into the game, Monmouth was ranked No. 10 in the East Region rankings according to the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
- Through non-conference play, Baylee DeSmit has six goals and two assists to lead the team in goals and points. Malia Tarazon leads the team with three assists.
Scouting Lafayette
- The Leopards are coming into the matchup with a 4-3 record on the season and are coming off of a 2-0 win over rivals Lehigh on Wednesday evening.
- Through seven games, three Leopards are tied for the team lead with two goals each.
- Alexa Jindal leads the team with two assists on the year, while four other players have recorded a assist.
- In goal, Catherine Apker has played every minute in goal, tallying a .826 save percentage, 38 saves, and a 1.14 goals against average.
- Lafayette currently sits in the middle of the Patriot League standings with a 1-1 record through their first two league games.
Quick Notes
- The 2024 season will be the 14th season the Greyhounds have been in the Patriot League, going 31-44-22 during that span, reaching the Patriot League Championships in five straight seasons, which includes two trips to the Patriot League Semifinals.
- This is Head Coach Joe Mallia's second stint at the helm with the Greyhounds. During his first stint, Mallia went 87-45-9 (54-4-5, MAAC), Winning the MAAC Regular-Season Championship four times, and the MAAC Tournament Championship three times.
- In his four season's back at the helm, Mallia has gone 37-30-17.
- The Greyhounds have gone 63-44-20 at home since the opening of Ridley Athletic Complex.
- Dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season, the Greyhounds have recorded 20 shutouts in 42 games.
- Loyola's game at Navy will be Loyola's first away game since August 29 at Virginia Tech.
Recipe for Success
- The Greyhounds are 4-1-2 this season when they score the first goal.
- Six different players have recorded at least one assist so far this season, including three players with at least three assists each.
- The Greyhounds have won 23 of the last 27 games in which they have scored two goals or more, which dates back to Sept. 6, 2018. Loyola was 8-0-0 when scoring multiple goals last season.
- The Greyhounds are 26-2-4 when scoring first and 18-1-1 when leading at halftime since the beginning of the 2021 season.
- Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the Greyhounds are 1-13-1 when their opponent scored first.
More on DeSmit
- Baylee DeSmit had a monster year for Loyola, as she led the Patriot League in goals and points, while finishing second in assists.
- She also tied the single-season record for assists with 8, tying with seven other players to reach the single-season mark.
- Her 10 goals also ranks tied for eighth for most goals in a single-season.
- DeSmit has also slowly climbed the Loyola all time ranks, as she enters the 2024 season in the top ten in points, goals, and assists.
- So far in 2024, DeSmit leads the Patriot League in goals (9) and points (21).
- DeSmit's current ranks all-time at Loyola:
Career:
Points: 77 (3rd)
Goals: 29 (4th)
Assists: 19 (T-3rd)
Points Per Game: 1.22 (T-3rd)
Goals Per Game: .460 (4th)
Assists Per Game: .301 (4th)
Game-Winning Goals: 11 (3rd)
Single-Season (2023):
Points: 28 (T-6th)
Goals: 10 (T-8th)
Assists: 8 (T-1st)
Points Per Game: 1.65 (2nd)
Goals Per Game: .588 (T-6th)
Assists Per Game: .470 (1st)
