Loyola Chicago Nips Spiders in A-10 Clash

A 1-0 defeat at the hands of Loyola University Chicago saddled the University of Richmond women’s soccer team with its fourth consecutive conference loss on Oct. 6. 

Looking to rebound from a setback at the University of Rhode Island days earlier, the Spiders opened the contest with a sharp offensive attack that stymied the Ramblers’ midfield control. As the Ramblers struggled to grow into the game, it was graduate forward Kelly Hutton who spearheaded much of the Spiders’ downfield success, including the lead-up to a dangerous cross by junior midfielder Emma Shields in the early going.

Chances for UR were fleeting as the half progressed while the Ramblers found their footing, although Loyola Chicago’s back line was kept busy by senior forward Emma Coleman and a badgering Spiders’ offensive front. 

The two teams continued to trade possession as the Ramblers ratcheted up their attack, appearing poised to convert on a corner that deflected kindly to a Loyola Chicago forward, but was cleared off the line by the resilient Spider defense.

In spite of finishing with eight shots on goal, the Ramblers would end up needing a set piece just outside the 18-yard box to finally convert. The 23rd-minute breakthrough was hammered across goal just within the left post, agonizingly tucked just past the outstretched glove of graduate goalie McKenna Dalfonso.

Seconds after the reset, it was again the Ramblers threatening to double their lead as a clearance on a UR corner led to a 3-on-2 going the other way. The crashing Loyola Chicago forward managed to connect a cross, but the subsequent shot was absorbed by Dalfonso with ease.

The Ramblers rattled off a flurry of shots from distance on either side of halftime, not quite testing Dalfonso but maintaining pressure and possession within the offensive third of the field. 

UR looked to equalize with its best chance of the day soon after the start of the second half, as Hutton ran down a ball played through by Coleman that perforated the Ramblers’ back line. The defense regrouped quickly, however, and Hutton’s shot was stifled at the top of the 18-yard-box. 

Graduate midfielder Emma Roesing followed up the effort with a shot to the lower left side – the Spiders’ only shot on goal of the day – but this too was snagged by Loyola Chicago’s goalie.

The final twenty minutes of play elapsed with few chances for the Spiders, pinned in their own end as the Ramblers backstopped a strong offensive effort with cautious play in the backfield. An urgent Spider attack was able to dislodge some passes between Loyola Chicago’s defenders, but did not culminate in an on-target look at goal.

At the final whistle, UR had dropped its fourth conference game in a row, for an A-10 record of 1-4, and an overall record of 3-7-2. The Ramblers kept their undefeated conference mark to improve to 2-0-4 and 7-2-5 overall. The shutout extended the Spiders’ scoring drought to 439 in-game minutes, going back to their match against Duquesne University on Sept. 19.

“[Midfield presence] was a big thing today, we did keep the ball well at times, but it was in areas where we didn’t hurt them enough,” UR Head Coach Adam Denton said following the game. “What we’ve got to do is do that same thing a bit further up [to] create some opportunities [...] if we can remain positive, organized, disciplined, [we] can try to make a push in the second half of the conference.”

The Spiders will be back in action at 2 p.m. Oct. 19, traveling to George Washington University for an A-10 fixture.

Contact sports writer Scott Valentine at scott.valentine@richmond.edu