The American University women’s soccer team (2-8-3) suffered defeat at the
hands of the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds (5-2-6) on Oct. 1. The game was evenly matched,
with both teams having opportunities to score, but strikes from Loyola’s graduate student defender Riley Kennel and senior midfielder Asma Merzougui made the difference in the tough, warm weather conditions.
Loyola started on the front foot, with Eagle sophomore goalkeeper Addison Roemer called
into early action to collect a dangerous ball from the kickoff. Possession was shared evenly
between the two teams for the remainder of the first half, with both sides enjoying a series
of chances to attack.
Greyhound senior midfielder Reagan Mallia sent a long-range effort over the bar in the third
minute, moments before Roemer was forced into a smart save to stop Merzougui’s
deflected shot from creeping in at the right post.
American senior midfielder Avery Klingensmith had her first of several chances to score for the Eagles in the 12th minute, when her attempt from distance was well saved by Loyola’s junior goalkeeper Hannah Goetzer.
Roemer made another strong save in the 18th minute when freshman forward Savannah
Manset’s cross found junior defender Nele Raap in the box.
Eagle freshman defender Mary DelVecchio had her own cross well caught by Goetzer, moments before senior defender Eliza Fisher’s free kick was blocked by the Loyola backline.
Both teams enjoyed an excess of attacking chances in a very tight final 25 minutes of the half.
Greyhound freshman forward Taryn Buckley attempted a dangerous driving run into the
box but fired her close range shot wide. Moments later, senior Eagle midfielder Phoebe Merrigan’s low and powerful effort was well saved by Goetzer.
The Eagles had many opportunities to break the deadlock, and came close in the 32nd minute
when Klingensmith’s diving header was kept out by Goetzer. The American captain then played a long ball over the top and into the path of freshman defender Jayden Fisher whose cross was headed marginally over the bar by sophomore forward Maddie Hurowitz.
Loyola sophomore forward Ava Blizzard then went one-on-one with Roemer after skillfully dribbling past the American backline, but the Eagle’s goalkeeper matched the skill, diving to save it at her left post.
American launched a quick counterattack from the resulting corner, and Jayden Fisher
played a smart give-and-go with graduate student forward Jennifer McGuire before firing a
powerful shot from range just over the bar.
The Eagles were punished for their lack of clinical finishing in the final three minutes of the
half when Loyola junior forward Francesca Khachatourians’s corner kick was scrambled in by
Kennel at the left post.
American had the chance to level the score from their own corner, but Eliza Fisher headed Jayden Fisher’s delivery slightly over the bar. Eliza Fisher’s subsequent free kick was then blocked by the Loyola backline in the final minute of the half.
American was disappointed to trail at the break after having the better of the chances in a
closely matched opening 45 minutes. The game continued apace after the restart, with both
sides battling for possession control.
Manset had an early attempt saved by Roemer in the 46th minute before Hurowitz cut inside
and saw her curling effort sail just wide of the left post.
The Eagles best chance to score in the half came when freshman forward Jenna Etienne-Valtrin squared the ball to Klingensmith inside the area. However, the captain couldn’t
make the right connection under pressure from the battling Loyola defence.
Both teams continued to create chances, but Loyola was again the first to capitalize on
their opportunities when Merzougui fired a powerful shot from 30 yards into the top of the
Eagles’ net in the 70th minute.
American fought hard to find a way back into the match but struggled to convert their
opportunities against Loyola’s solid defense. Two diving saves in quick succession by Goetzer frustrated the Eagles as they began to grow tired and sloppy in possession. Klingensmith shot well wide in the final two minutes as her team failed to mount a comeback.
Head coach Marsha Harper said after the game that she was disappointed with her players’
performance as American came out as the lesser of two closely matched sides.
“I think we could have kept the ball with a little more purpose today,” Harper said. “We were impatient in moments in taking shots from 40 yards out multiple times and I think they were a little bit more clinical and better at getting the ball closer to the danger zone.”
The Eagles defeated the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 3-1 at Reeves Field on Oct. 4. On Oct. 11, they fell at Colgate 2-1. Their next match is on Oct. 15 as they take on Navy.
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Ryan Sieve and Audrey Smith.
