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Horizon Connection

Women's Soccer in NCAA Tournament

11/13/03
by John C. Thomas
The Loyola women's soccer team makes its first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament Friday, November 14, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. versus the tournament's #2 seed Notre Dame at Alumni Field in South Bend, Ind. Loyola won its first ever Horizon League Championship with a 1-0 decision over Detroit on Sunday.

Notre Dame enters the tournament with a 19-2-1 record, having outscored their opponents 68-11 on the season. However, Notre Dame has lost two of its last three matches entering the tournament, giving up an average of two goals per contest during that streak. Loyola arrives in South Bend with a 10-10-0 record, and a four game winning streak. The Ramblers outscored their opponents 28-26 on the season, including a 7-2 goal advantage with three shutouts over the past four games.

Ironically, Notre Dame competed yearly against Loyola in the Horizon League's predecessor, the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, through 1994. In four years of MCC competition, the Fighting Irish were 19-0-1 in league play. In 1995, Notre Dame won the NCAA Women's Soccer National Championship. Since Notre Dame left the conference no MCC/Horizon League team has won a match in the NCAA Tournament.

Notre Dame and Loyola have had one common opponent this season: Butler. The Irish defeated the Bulldogs 3-0 in South Bend on October 7, 2003. Loyola played Butler twice this season, defeating BU 1-0 in overtime on September 28, 2003 at Loyola Soccer Park, and by the same score in regulation in the Horizon League Tournament on November 6, 2003.

For a pdf of the 2003 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament bracket, click here.

To listen to the Notre Dame-Loyola game Friday night at 6:00 p.m. Central Time, click here and scroll down to the "Listen" link.