Nov. 2, 2008
Final Stats
CHICAGO - Cynthia Morote-Ariza broke her own single-season scoring record and five different players scored goals as top-seeded Loyola advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship with a 5-0 win over Youngstown State this afternoon at Loyola Soccer Park. The Ramblers, aiming for their third straight conference tournament title, improve to 13-8 and will host the remainder of the tournament starting with a Friday afternoon semifinal against Butler.
After finding its feet in the opening minutes, Loyola gradually took control of the pace of the game. Youngstown State actually had the first good scoring chance of the match, as Jodi Bowlen saw a shot knocked away by Ashley Funk in the 14th minute. After Casey Berrier and Laura Trevillian each saw shots go wide of the target, Morote-Ariza got the Ramblers on the board in the 27th minute, racing onto a terrific pass from Trevillian and finishing from inside the box for her 14th goal of the year. The two switched roles on Loyola's second, as Morote-Ariza gorgeously flicked on a Selina Hunt pass right into the path of Trevillian who lashed a 20-yard shot under the crossbar for her 10th of the season to make it 2-0 after 38 minutes.
Much like last Sunday, when LU exploded for four unanswered goals in the second half of a 6-1 win over these same Penguins, the Ramblers were able to put the match out of reach in the second 45 minutes. Great work from Morote-Ariza set up LU's third, as she worked free from three Penguin defenders before slipping a ball to Cara Morawski, who finished clinically from six yards to make it 3-0 in the 66th minute. Not to be outdone, sister Ashley Morawski got on the scoresheet under two minutes later, tapping in a cross from Nikki Staton, to make it 4-0 before Staton finished a brilliant individual effort later, netting her second of the season in the 82nd minute to close out the scoring.
With her three points today, Morote-Ariza runs her season total to 46 points, surpassing her old record of 43 set last year.
Loyola outshot Youngstown State, 30-5, for the match.
With the win, the top-seeded Ramblers earn the right to host the remainder of the Horizon League Championship next weekend at Loyola Soccer Park. Loyola will take on Butler in Friday's opening match with second-seeded Milwaukee taking on third-seeded Wright State in the nightcap.
