Zips Improve Against Quality Loyola Squad Despite 4-1 Loss

Sunday, August 27

Chicago, IL

1:30 pm CT

University of Akron

1-2-1

Loyola

2-2-0

Akron

Loyola Chicago

Photo by: David Dermer

Zips Improve Against Quality Loyola Squad Despite 4-1 Loss

August 27 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Loyola tournament came to a close at the Loyola Soccer Park where the young Akron Zips lineup continued to improve with a strong effort against a quality Loyola squad in a 4-1 loss to the Ramblers on Sunday afternoon.

"It was definitely a learning curve this weekend. We competed better today but, in truth, made some mistakes," said head coach Noreen Herlihy. "The effort was there, and especially when we got ourselves back in the game at 2-1. So the hope is that as we gain more experience, these mistakes will be less and less. Now we prepare for our next game and look to improve.

In the contest, the Zips recorded eight shots against the Ramblers including a trio of shots on goal. Freshman Eliese LaCourt (Rockford, Mich.) paced Akron with a pair of shots with one resulting in her first collegiate goal. An additional six other Zips including juniors Rachel Baughman (Alliance, Ohio), Erica Schrader (Blacklick, Ohio), Sydney Sleek (Wooster, Ohio), Kiana Zuk (Windsor, Ontario), sophomore Catie Corrigan (Avon Lake, Ohio), and freshman Lauren Lambert (Stoutsville, Ohio) each registered a shot.

For the fourth consecutive game, freshman Amani Jiu (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was in the net for the Zips against Loyola. In 90 minutes of play, the Akron keeper garnered three saves.

Early on in the contest, the Zips had the advantage in possession and aggressively pushed the ball into their offensive third side of the field but could not find an open look at the goal.

A pair of goals by the Ramblers in the first 25 minutes of play gave Loyola a 2-0 lead.

The Zips attempted two shots in the in the final minutes of play in the first half courtesy of Zuk and Schrader but each shot went wide of goal and over the end line.

In the second half of the contest, Akron cut into the Loyola lead to begin their comeback effort in the 54' of the match. Freshman Ally Brown (Batavia, Ohio) possessed the ball down the right side of the field and into the box. The Ramblers keeper came out to disrupt the play, but not before Brown snuck a cross pass out in front of the net. That's when LaCourt came sprinting down the field to put the ball away for the score. Brown's assist on the Zips goal was the first of the young forwards career.

The Ramblers went on to score two more goals in the final 25 minutes of play to extend their lead to 4-1.

Despite a hard fought game, the young Akron team came up short, 4-1, to close out the Loyola tournament.

Eight freshmen were in the starting XI for the Zips and saw significant playing time in both contests for the Zips which resulted in Ally Brown and Jiu being named to the All-Tournament team, voted on by each respective coach.

Akron returns to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet field on Thursday, Aug. 31, when the Zips face off against visiting Cleveland State at 7 p.m. for a mid-week contest.