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Loyola gets back to winning
ways against Lake Forest

Host Rambler's hope cold streak is behind them after 3-0 win

By Nick Kariuki

WILMETTE -- Loyola is back to its winning ways with a 3-0 win against a visiting Lake Forest side that can rue a few momentary lapses in concentration in an otherwise positive defensive performance at Hoerster Field on Tuesday night.

Goals from senior K.K. Phelan and sophomores Cate Schellenback and Stephanie Ramsay helped the Ramblers exorcise the demons of the past eight days which included three losses and a draw. Senior forward Devin Burns provided the assist for the third goal.

The game also saw the return of Ramblers junior midfielder Ally West from an ACL injury. 

Lake Forest (7-7- 1) almost drew first blood barely five minutes in when freshman forward Kate Reinhardt latched on to a through-ball behind Loyola’s backline and had space to charge at Ramblers goalkeeper Maggie Avery. But Avery was quick off her line and able to pressure Reinhardt enough to force a chip shot that was wide of the goal.

The Scouts’ backline smothered most of Loyola’s attacks. It featured Sheridan Bufe, in central defense as opposed to her regular defensive midfield role. She was charged with marking the zone that Rambler star Burns was posted up in.

“I think Sheridan and [junior] Gwen Walker at back there was pretty formidable, and they were doing a really good job of keeping us out,” said Loyola coach Craig Snower.

The game is 80 minutes, but it only takes a lapse of seconds for a team to concede a goal. Lake Forest suffered its first foible at 20 minutes when Phelan put in a cross from the left flank. 

What should have been an innocuous clearance was miskicked and left Burns with a shot at the center of the 6-yard box. However, Lake Forest’s junior goalkeeper Cassidy Shaul made herself as big as possible and was able to parry Burns’ shot out for a corner.

“We worked on improving our defense and the midfield before. We did okay with only some great plays up top [by Loyola] to beat us,” said Lake Forest head coach Ty Stuckslager.

The Ramblers were able to capitalize on another lapse by the Scouts and take the lead before the break.

In the 26th minute an ambitious shot from the left flank was lofted into the penalty area. Shaul jumped to collect the ball, but it passed through her hands and behind her. The prowling K.K. Phelan was in the right place at the right time to help the ball into the vacant goal.

“K.K.'s still got to be on her toes and read that and go knock that in otherwise the goalie gets a second chance at it,” Snower said. “It was capitalizing on a mistake with hustle.”

Loyola could have doubled its lead three minutes before the half with a corner taken by junior forward Anna Perona. The cross found Burns, who had found a rare moment away from the shadowing Bufe, but the forward skied her volleyed effort.

Straight from the restart the Ramblers tried to capitalize on the momentum they had built up, forcing an acrobatic diving save from Shaul within two minutes of the start of the second half.

In the 66th minute Shellenback, Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match, scored the Ramblers second goal with a finely hit shot from the outside the box.

“Cate's goal was her first of the year, and she's been working hard for that. She's one of those girls that we really need to step up from that attacking mid spot as we go down the stretch. She got one today, so it was great,” Snower said.

“We definitely stepped it up in the second half and played together and played well and just finished it off,” Shellenback said.

Burns may have have been shut out all game by effective marking, but showed her ability as a provider five minutes later by setting up Ramsay with a diagonal through-ball that left the sophomore forward one-on-one with Shaul. Ramsay rounded the goalie’s diving save and nestled her left-footed shot for the final goal of the night.

For Loyola, the win brings the team back on a positive course for state

“It felt really good, especially after our past three game where we just haven't scored at all” said Phelan. “It was good to get back into it, and it felt like a good way get over our last games.”

The Scouts may have left defeated, but Stucklager and the team were still upbeat from what had been one of the team’s best defensive performances of the season.

“Overall, we played well. Some of our goals were met, which were better energy and better effort,” he said. “It took some good plays to beat [Lake Forest's defense], and they did it.”

“Three goals is three goals, but I think two of those could have been preventable; one of them was a great shot,” Walker said. “I think the takeaway is keep working hard and keep pressuring and keep just wanting to win.”


Starting line-ups

Lake Forest
GK Cassidy Shaul
D Alison Banta
D Leland Keller
D Gwen Walker
D Hannah Bell
MF Sheridan Bufe
MF Delaney Williams
MF Mary Gregg
MF Camille Cook
F  Paige Bourne
F Kate Reinhardt

Loyola
GK Maggie Avery
D Lauren Daffada
D Alex Yasko
D Ryan Flanagan
D Riley Burns
MF Ally West
MF Natalie Joyce
MF Cate Shellenback
F  K.K. Phelan
F  Devin Burns
F  Stephanie Ramsay

MVP of the Match: Cate Shellenback, MF, Loyola Academy

Officials: Arda Kutlu (center); Albert Khouri; and Brian Moloney
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