Success at the Horizon
The women's soccer team finished the 2007 season on a high note, capturing its second-consecutive Horizon League Championship and an automatic bid to the NCCA Tournament. But the season was a bit more difficult than it looked on paper. "We had a great year, and I'm proud of what the players accomplished. But in some ways, it was tougher than last year," says head coach Frank Mateus.
Part of the difficulty came with being the preseason favorite after capturing the Horizon League title the year before, Mateus explains: "We were expected to win, and they felt that pressure." The Ramblers also had a tough early schedule, losing close games to top-20 Louisville and perennial powerhouse Kentucky. The low point came in the seventh game of the season, when Penn beat Loyola 5–1, leaving the team with a 2–5 record. "We didn't look so good. But that was also the turning point of the season," Mateus says. "I talked to the team and told them not to worry so much about wins or losses. Just go out and play. Focus on one game at a time."
The pep talk worked, as the Ramblers rattled off six straight wins and peaked heading into the Horizon League Tournament. The team knocked off Green Bay and Wright State before facing topseeded Milwaukee in the championship game. The Ramblers struggled most of the game, and were down 2-0 with 15 minutes left. They scraped together two quick goals, sending the game into overtime, and finally a shootout, where freshman Laura Trevillian buried a shot in the right corner to give the Ramblers the title.
Loyola lost 3-0 to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCCA Tournament, but the Ramblers finished with a 14-9-1 record and something to build on for next season. "I think the players learned a lot this season," Mateus says. "We had to dig deep and find a way to win. I think it will help us be an even better team next year."
Sophomore striker Cynthia Morote-Ariza set single-season records for goals (17) and points (43) while tying her own single-season mark for assists, with 9. She was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, becoming the first player ever to lead the league in goals, points, and assists. Morote-Ariza also was named the UMBRO/ Chicagolandsoccernews.com Women's College Player of the Year. But Morote-Ariza says she's more interested in the accomplishments of the team and looks forward to next season. "We learned a lot about ourselves this year," she says. "We could have quit—could have caved in—but we didn't."
John T. Slania (BA '79)