Loyola Subdues Denver in Shootout
from press releases
BALTIMORE - Colleen O'Keefe and Grace Gavin each
scored four goals, and Loyola outlasted Denver for a 19-16
non-conference victory on Senior Day at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field on
Saturday afternoon.
The Greyhounds (11-6 overall) honored their eight seniors - Jessica
Aikens, Paige Hoffen, Megan Joines, Maura Kenny, Colleen O'Keefe,
Mary Clare and Meg Taylor and Elizabeth Weber - in a pregame
ceremony.
O'Keefe added two assists to lead all players with six total
points. The six points eclipsed her career of five set in the
season-opener at Stony Brook, and her four goals tied her
career-best from last season at Davidson.
Gavin also tallied an assist to bring her team-leading points and
goals totals to 74 and 56, respectively. Her points total ranks
ninth all-time in Loyola single-season history.
"This was a great way to send our senior out," Loyola Head Coach
Jen Adams said. "They have done a tremendous amount for this
program, and they deserved a win today. Through their efforts and
leadership, they have set us up to have a very bright future here
at Loyola."
The Pioneers (10-8) took leads of 2-0 and 3-1 in the game's first
nine minutes as Kaiti Delaney scored twice and Megan Carver added
another on a free-position shot.
Loyola, however, turned up the defensive pressure and went on a 6-0
run.
Weber started the stretch with a goal at the 18:36 mark, and Gavin
tallied three goals, while O'Keefe and Meg Taylor both added
scores.
Lexi Sanders took a Becca Steinberg pass and scored for Denver with
3:29 left in the first half, pulling the Pioneers to within three,
but Caroline Hager found O'Keefe in front of the crease for her
second goal, staking Loyola to an 8-4 advantage with 3:14 to
play.
Karen Morton and Delaney scored for Denver, wrapped around a goal
by Mary Clare Taylor, making it a 9-6 Greyhounds' lead at
halftime.
Carver and Lauren Ciccomascolo scored the first two goals of the
second half for Denver, cutting Loyola's lead back to one, 9-8,
with 26:25 remaining in the game.
O'Keefe flipped a pass to Meg Taylor, who scored, and the O'Keefe
was on the scoring end of a Weber pass with 22:28 remaining.
Sanders, however, scored two in a row for Denver, pulling the
Pioneers within one again, this time with just over 21 minutes
left.
The teams traded goals for the next six-plus minutes with Morton's
tally keeping Loyola's lead to just one, 14-13, with 15:12 on the
clock.
Mary Clare Taylor was fouled on a quick-stick shot attempt in front
of the goal, and the senior converted on a free-position shot. Abby
Rehfuss and Mary Heneberry then scored five minutes later,
providing the Greyhounds with a four-goal cushion.
Loyola finished the day with 21 caaused turnovers, led by four each
from Kellye Gallagher and Cara Filippelli. In total, the Greyhounds
forced 29 Denver turnovers, and Loyola scooped up 27 ground balls
to the Pioneers' 24. Filippelli's caused turnovers gave her 38 for
the season, the second-best single-season total in Loyola
history.
In addition to O'Keefe and Gavin's four goals, Meg Taylor added
three for Loyola, while Rehfuss, Heneberry and Mary Clare Taylor
each contributed two apiece. Weber and Filippelli had one each.
The Greyhounds finish the season with a 11-6 record, a 4.5-game
improvement over last year's record under the direction of Adams in
her first year as Loyola head coach.
