“I thought our girls played well today. I think our girls rose to the challenge,” said Aces head coach Krista McKendree. “They played hard, they played well, and they did a lot of what we were trying to ask them to do. For us, we just can’t give up three goals.”
Senior Montana Portenier and sophomore Mikayla Harvey each scored and recorded two shots for the Aces (4-7, 0-1 MVC), while freshman Jayme-Lee Hunter added a pair of shots. Lindsey Hardiman, Avalon Senn-Raemont, and Emily Lange each scored for the Ramblers (8-3, 2-0 MVC).
The opening half passed without either team able to find the back of the net as Loyola held an 8-1 advantage on shots in the first 45 minutes of action.
Much like the first half, the second half started with a bevy of chances for both teams, but once again, neither side was able to score.
The Aces jumped on the board first in the 72nd minute as Hunter sent a cross into the box for Portenier, who scored past the keeper one-on-one. Loyola equalized just three minutes later on a goal by Senn-Raemont who scored following a scrum in the box.
With just seven minutes remaining in the 84th minute, the Ramblers took their first lead on a shot from 20 yards out by Hardiman that gave Loyola a 2-1 advantage. 48 seconds later, Evansville equalized the match with a goal by Harvey who found the end of a free kick by junior Sara Osinski and clipped it into the back of the net.
Loyola had one last response in the 88th minute as Lange slipped the ball into the net from just five yards out to give the Ramblers the 3-2 win.
The Aces were out-shot, 19-6, with the Ramblers holding a 10-3 advantage in shots on-goal.
“I think we’re just trying to make it as difficult as possible for the other team to play right now,” said McKendree. “The thing we’re doing better is competing for longer stretches of time and for closer to 90 minute games.”
With a full week off from competition, the Aces return to action on Saturday, September 30 against Northern Iowa at 1 p.m. in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
