Tigers Can’t Overcome Second Half Shortcomings as They Fall to Loyola 19-8
By: David Walker, Contributing Writer
The Tigers went up against the Loyola Greyhounds in the biggest game of the season this Saturday, 19-8. Loyola, ranked #15 in the country, was Towson’s first ranked opponent of the year. A win against a team of that caliber would mean a lot going forward in the season.
The Tigers had rattled off three straight wins and were ready to get a win in front of the home crowd, their first game at Tiger Field since the season opener. Loyola was 2-2, both of their losses coming against ranked opponents, and had yet to win on the road. Towson was going to need to play a complete game if they wanted to beat the Greyhounds.
Loyola got going early with two unassisted goals in the first two minutes. The Tigers would respond with a goal from Junior Midfielder Valerie Thompson, who would end the day with two goals and four ground balls.
Both teams went back and forth for the rest of the quarter. The score was 5-4 Loyola heading into the second. Towson had four different scorers, while Junior Elisa Faklaris led the way for Loyola with three goals in the 1st. The Greyhounds dominated the draw, winning eight of ten. The Tigers would continue to struggle with the draw for the remainder of the game.
The Tigers would open the quarter with a Woman-Up goal to tie the game from Thompson, after Loyola Senior Chase Boyle was charged with her first yellow card. Each team exchanged a goal, then Loyola Senior Georgia Latch would sink a shot with 45 seconds left in the half. The Tigers would only win one draw through this low-scoring quarter as the first half ended, 7-6 Loyola.
Towson would have to improve at the draw and capitalize on turnovers if they wanted to stay in the game with Loyola. The Greyhounds dynamic duo of Boyle and Latch were beginning to heat up and the Tigers needed to keep the pace.
Boyle got the Greyhounds going early, winning the opening draw and scoring her 17th goal of the year. Junior Ava Kane would score 30 seconds later, extending their lead, 9-6. The Tigers would respond with a goal from Sophomore Hailey Waldron, her seventh of the season. Loyola would then score six unanswered goals, stretching their lead to eight. Latch scored one and assisted on two, she would end the day with 10 points, five goals and five assists. The Patriot League Attacker of the Week was strutting her stuff.
With a little over three minutes to go in the third quarter, Chase Boyle received her second yellow card of the game, resulting in an ejection. This was huge for Towson as Boyle had been dominant at the draw all game. This could have been a momentum swing in favor of the Tigers, but they were not so lucky.
Towson would only score one goal for the rest of the game, as Loyola had a seven-goal fourth quarter, ending the game on a 4-0 run. The Tigers were outscored 12-2 in the second half. They had better luck at the draw after Boyle’s ejection, but it was not enough.
The game got away from the Tigers in the second half, but a close first half against a ranked team was a promising sign for the team early in the season.
“We played a really good first half,” Senior Milana Zizakovic said, “but we have to play a full game, and they’re a really respectable opponent.”
Zikakovic is the team’s leader in points with 13, she ended the day with a goal and a pair of ground balls.
“It feels good that we can definitely make some adjustments and play better against these ranked teams, “Zizakovic said, “it’s just a learning opportunity.”
The Tigers now stand at 3-2 as they head into their first in-conference game next week, on the road against Stony Brook at 3 p.m.