Nov. 13, 2022 – No. 15/10 Loras College women's soccer kept its season alive on Sunday afternoon with a nail-biting 1-0 victory over (RV) Ohio Northern University to send the Duhawks on to the NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16 for the second season in a row.

The Duhawks (18-0-3) darted to a huge victory on Saturday in the first round, but got a much different test from the Polar Bears (14-2-5) in Sunday's second round game as ONU put the clamps on the Duhawks defensively for much of the game.

It was until the 73^rd that the Duhawk could find the back of the net as senior forward Ryleigh O'Brien headed one home after a free kick pass from senior midfielder Payton McDonnell. O'Brien's game-winner comes just one day after her incredible five-goal performance against the University of Wisconsin-Superior in the first round.

O'Brien and the Duhawks have had great success this season scoring goals off of dead ball situations like corner kicks an free kicks, but had not managed to get on the board until O'Brien's game-winner header. Loras had seven corner kick chances turned away by the Polar Bears' defense on Sunday.

After allowing their first and only goal of this NCAA tournament, the Polar Bears went on the attack as they looked to tally an equalizer. Three of Ohio Northern's 10 shots came in the final 15 minutes of play, including the best look the Polar Bears had all game in the 85^th minute when Alyssa Beckett fired a shot toward the top right of the goal.

Loras goalkeeper Kyndal Kells made one of her best, and probably the most important save of the year as she managed to deflect it off her hands and off the crossbar to preserve the 1-0 lead as the game approached its final minutes.

The victory advances Loras to the NCAA Round of 32 where the Duhawks will face No. 4/5 Case Western Reserve University. The times, dates, and locations of the NCAA Third Round games are expected to be officially announced later on Sunday evening.