Sept. 1, 2022 – Opening day was worth the wait for the No. 3 Loras College women's soccer team (1-0) as the Duhawks made easy work of the St. Norbert College Green Knights (0-1), taking a convincing 6-1 win to start the 2022 season on Thursday afternoon in Dubuque.

The Duhawks powered out to yet another win inside the friendly confines of the Rock Bowl, a stadium they have now won in on 13 straight occasions. Senior defender Payton McDonnell was right in the thick of it again for the Duhawks as the All-American helped lead the charge with four points, (1g, 2a). Her two assists give her 54 on her career, making her the program's all-time leader in that category.

Loras started the scoring in the 14^th minute when a misplay by the St. Norbert keeper left junior Savannah Johnson with a wide-open net a point-blank range. The Green Knights were quick to respond as Abby Thompson took advantage of an open opportunity to make it 1-1 in the 17^th minute, but that would be the only goal surrendered by the Duhawks in their season opener.

McDonnell's first assist came off a corner kick as her pass sailed to the far side of the box, where a quick touch from junior Hannah Schmitz led senior Ryleigh O'Brien to a short-range goal. That sent the Duhawks into halftime with a 2-1 lead.

Loras netted four goals in the second half, each in more spectacular fashion than the last. McDonnell, senior Julia Neary (twice), and O'Brien, each found the net in the second frame while McDonnell, Schmitz, Caitlin Farrell, and Neary all tallied assists.

The scoring was bookended by a perfect corner kick pass that McDonnell sent to the far side of the box for a textbook header from Neary. That assist catapulted McDonnell to the top of the all-time assists record book and gave Neary five points off the bench in her Loras debut.

Loras dominated time of possession from start to finish and outshot the Green Knights 25-6. The Duhawks also earned 12 corner kick chances to St. Norbert's 4.

Third-ranked Loras hits the road for the first time in 2022 this Sunday, Sept. 4, when it travels to River Forest, Ill. to take on Dominican University at 2:45 P.M.