Women's College Soccer
Rider University 0, Loyola College 0 (2ot)
LAWRENCEVILLE?Loyola came to Lawrenceville with a 3-0-1 record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and a 15-0-1 all-time record against Rider. The Greyhounds went back to Baltimore without the anticipated victory, as the Broncs kept Loyola off the scoreboard for 110 minutes, while picking up a big point in the MAAC standings.
“A massive point,” said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. “In overtime we discussed going for three (points for a win) or going for one (point for a tie) and I think the players made a mature decision going for one. Against a team like Loyola, one point is a good result.”
The result was the Broncs tying Loyola in a MAAC game Saturday. “The team carried out the game-plan very well,” Hounsome said. “Everyone did their role. It was tough for our fullbacks and our wide forwards because it was basically their game. If they (senior Kayla Devlin of Clifton, junior Natalie Sica of Marlton, freshman Jordan Bunch of Jackson, and sophomore Kara Perkoski of Whitehall, Pa.) did not do their jobs we would have failed.”
Loyola (5-5-4, 3-0-2 MAAC) out-shot Rider 23-0, including 20-0 in regulation.
Loyola came into the game out-scoring MAAC opponents 10-1.
For Rider (2-9-3, 1-3-1 MAAC) sophomore goalkeeper Alex Post (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) made 10 saves. Post came into the game ranked 12th in the nation with 7.46 saves per game.
“That was a really big point for us,” said Post, who compiled her second shutout of the season and fourth of her career. “This was a game that most people thought we would lose, so this is a really good feeling. We had a game plan and we did everything we needed to do.”
“No one gives you a shutout,” Hounsome said. “Loyola is a great team. They are perennially in the NCAA tournament.”
The Greyhounds had 16 corner kicks to Rider's 1.
Loyola defeated Rider 1-0 last season in Baltimore.
Rider and Loyola have met 17 times, with Loyola holding a 15-0-2 advantage in the series that began in 1997. “Rider has never beaten Loyola and only tied them once, so we made a little history today,” Post said.
Rider travels to the University of Pennsylvania for a 7pm contest Wednesday evening. “We'll be using that game to make ourselves even better at this system,” Hounsome said. “That will be a tough game.”
“I think this tie coming off our win last Sunday (over MAAC-rival Saint Peter's) is allowing us to build some momentum,” Post said. “We're really excited.”
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