The Loyola women’s soccer team won its biggest game in team history last Friday by defeating 19th ranked William Carey 2-1 at the ‘Fly.
The victory was not only the team’s first in nine years over Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent William Carey but its first defeat of a nationally ranked team.
“I was totally astounded. It was history-making for us,” Head Coach Emmy Therrell said. “We certainly played our best game of the season. The goal for every team is to play to their best with unity and that’s what happened for us.”
With the game locked in a 1-1 tie and the clock winding down near the end of regulation, the ‘Pack (7-7-1) did not just settle for sudden death overtime but seized the moment and delivered the game-winning goal in the 89th minute.
Co-captain and communications senior Lisa Lester knocked a free kick over the defense just outside the 18-yard box. Fellow co-captain and biology junior Clare Springer, who also scored the first goal, caught William Carey’s defense off guard as she struck a half-volley past the goalie with less than two minutes remaining in the match.
The ‘Pack held on until the final whistle signaled the historic victory.
“I knew there was not much time left after I scored,” Springer said. “We were pretty panicked and tried not to let them score. After the first goal, I thought we had it, but then they scored. We had never scored one goal on them before and I thought. ‘How can we score again?’ Then I did and I thought ‘Now we have to hold them.'”
After the two teams traded goals in the middle of the second half, the stage was set the stage for Springer’s game-winner. Biology junior Lissa Lyncker received a cross near midfield on the weak side with no defenders close to her. She took full advantage of the situation by streaking down the field toward goal.
As the goalie was coming out to challenge her breakaway and the defenders were catching up, she fired a shot that ricocheted off the goalie. Springer was waiting for it and one-touched the ball into the back of the net.
William Carey answered the score with a chip shot by Audia Sullivan ten minutes later. According to Therrell, the ‘Pack refused to lose focus and kept playing hard.
“In other games against ranked teams, I think we’ve been in awe of them, but this time we saw that we could beat them,” she said. “You can feel like your chances are shut down when they score [the tying goal] but there was definitely no quitting in our team.”
Loyola was able to pull off the upset despite William Carey out -shooting the team 18-7 and having a much greater time of possession.
Therrell said the keys to the win were successful scoring chances and stellar defense by the back four. Lester, who played sweeper, shut down William Carey along with freshman outside defenders Adrianne Golias, international business, and Amelia Neuberger, criminal justice and stopper Lisa Handschumacher, biology junior.
“We stopped their drive [to the goal] and forced them into early shots and far shots. Our strategy was to use a compact defense,” Therrell said. They (the defense) played with consistency, determination, and focused intensity and made a unified defensive line.”
After the upset victory, Loyola improved its record to 7-7-1 with one game to play Saturday against Millsaps. If the team ties the game, the ‘Pack will finish the season with a .500 record.
With a win, the ‘Pack would have its second winning season in nine years, a prospect Therrell sees as a good possibility.
“If we pull this off, it would be a big deal and a tremendous achievement. “We are on the verge of a very successful season,” she said.
Springer Named GCAC Player of the Week
After scoring three goals and handing out an assist against Columbia Union on Oct. 14, Springer was named the GCAC Player of the Week.
“It was cool because I have never gotten that before,” Springer said. “Marina was the first player I know that got player of the week and now we’ve had two players get it in three weeks. That is pretty exciting.”
Springer validated the award by scoring both goals in Loyola’s 2-1 upset of William Carey last Friday. On the first goal in the 65th minute, Springer showed her hustle by following Lyncker on her breakaway sixty yards down the field.
Instead of merely watching her teammate try to score on a breakaway, she trailed the play and put herself in position to put in the first goal of the game. With time winding down in regulation, Springer came through in the clutch with a half-volley blast past William Carey’s keeper. Springer has been dominant with five goals and one assist in her last two games.
“Clare has one of the strongest shots on the team and although she often plays forward, it’s very difficult to make goals,” Therrell said. “Now, Clare has begun to make her shots. She’s always had an impact on the game, even when she was a freshman, but now she’s finishing and dominating the games.”
