FENTON, Mo. (Duhawks.com) - Things appear to be clicking at the right exact time for the Loras women's soccer team (9-3-1), who posted its fourth consecutive clean sheet on Monday evening, defeating Webster, 1-0. Junior
Gretchen Schutz recorded the lone score of the match for her team-leading sixth goal of the season. Senior
Maria Siebels made the one save she needed to for her eighth shutout of the year.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First Half
- A heavy wind played a role in Monday's contest and the Duhawks were charged with the task of playing into the wind in the first half.
- Loras paid no attention to the wind factor and used its speed on the outside wings to serve balls into the box.
- When the wings weren't open, it was often sophomore Elizabeth Mills dribbling through the middle and in the ninth minute, Mills slipped a pass through to junior Maura Walsh, but her attempt missed wide of goal.
- Minutes later, junior Mackenzie Anderson worked in a ball from her outside back position and found Walsh in the attacking third. Knowing that junior Gretchen Schutz would be crashing the six, Walsh served the ball into the box. Schutz brought it down and with her right foot, blasted home the winner.
- Late into the half, Webster began to create space, primarily by keeping the ball on the ground. Each time it looked as if an opportunity was open, junior Alexis O'Neill stepped forward and broke up the offensive chance.
Second Half
- In the 57th minute, Webster whipped a cross in from the end line and would have connected but Siebels came off her line to punch it away.
- With less than 15 minutes to play, Loras came in close on goal with good buildup from freshman Emily Robinson and Mills. Walsh crashed the net and nearly slipped her shot in for goal, but a last-second diving save pushed her shot out for a corner.
- The Duhawks kept the pressure on Webster, both offensively and defensively, highlighted by three consecutive corners over the span of five minutes.
- Schutz and Mills put a close on the match with three shots over the final seven minutes, forcing two saves from Webster.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Riley O'Neill & Madie Avery | For the full 90, O'Neill and Avery dominated the air on set pieces, throw-ins and goal kicks, disrupting any momentum that Webster tried to build through the air. The play of O'Neill and Avery played a large role in Loras' ability to hold the Gorloks to zero shots in the second half.
UP NEXT
The Duhawks head into the final stretch of the regular season with three conference matches over the next seven days, the first of which is on Wednesday. Loras is set to host Coe in a rematch of last year's Iowa Conference Tournament Semifinal. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
