Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University women's soccer team suffered its first home loss of the 2025 season Thursday, falling to Loyola Chicago, 2-1, at Rooney Field. In dropping consecutive matches for the first time all year, the Dukes dipped to 9-5-1 (.633) overall, including 4-3 (.571) in the Atlantic 10.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Tied, 1-1, entering the second half, the Ramblers were able to jump in front at 66:17. Ella Skelton tracked a ball down in the far corner and lifted a cross that ended up hitting the near post, bouncing in front of the net. A scramble ensued before Emily Rossi was able to connect and fire the ball high into the middle of the back of the net over junior goalkeeper
Ali Hughes, giving Loyola Chicago (8-3-4 | 3-2-2 Atlantic 10) a 2-1 edge. The Dukes searched for the equalizer, but Allison Deardorff came up huge for the Ramblers late, turning away a shot from junior forward
Kaitlyn Killinger at 85:07, her 10th save of the contest.
QUOTABLE
"We battled," head coach
Jessica Giegucz said. "It was a very physical game. They had a very good game plan, and it proved some adversity for us. We just have to move on to the next game. I thought (
Brianna Moore) and Maya (Matesa) did free themselves up on the wide spaces, and it did generate a little bit more for us.
Libby Majka also stepped up into more of an attacking mid type role, and it was able to generate some different options. I just wish we could've put a couple away. We're in the business of generating attacking momentum. But tonight is in the past and we have to move forward."
HEAD START
Duquesne grabbed the early lead on a penalty kick just over 11 minutes into the contest. Loyola Chicago was called for a foul in the box, with junior
Anna Bundy racing after a ball before being taken down. Senior
Mackenzie Muir was called upon for the penalty kick and converted to give the Dukes a 1-0 edge at 11:07. It marked the fourth goal of the year for Muir, including her second on a penalty kick. The Ramblers were able to tie the game, however, when Jadyn Harris took a pass from Meghan Economos and found the back of the far left corner of the net past an outstretched Hughes at 36:28.
FIRE AWAY
Duquesne continued to generate chances despite the loss, finishing with a 20-18 edge in shots Thursday, including 11-9 in shots on goal. The Dukes have finished with at least 20 shots in each of their seven home games at Rooney Field this season, with Killinger notching a team-high six shots against the Ramblers. Junior forward
Kayla Leseck, meanwhile, added five more. Two of the five shots for Leseck were on target as she has 10 shots in the category the last five games and 21 overall this year on 46 shots.
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"We've been working a lot with (Kayla) on how she can break herself more into a shooting role," Giegucz said. "I've been working with her with the different options when she goes one-on-one with a defender, whether it's on the outside or on the inside. I loved her left-footed shot tonight. Again, if we just continue to feel confident about what we're doing, it's only a matter of time before she puts one in."
NOTES
Each of the last three games for Duquesne have been decided by one goal and overall during the 2025 campaign the Dukes are 3-3 (.500) in such contests … The first corner kick of the contest didn't come until the second half when Loyola Chicago earned one at 65:24 … Duquesne owned a 4-1 edge in corner kicks, with each of the four for the Dukes coming in the final 15 minutes of action … Just three players came off the bench Thursday for Duquesne, with six players logging a full 90 minutes of action, including junior
Jayden Sharpless … Also logging a full 90 was Leseck, defenders
Lindsay Krafchick,
Eva LaVecchia and
Reagan Basehore and senior forward
Maya Matesa … Hughes set a career high against the Ramblers with seven saves … The win was the first in the all-time series for either team, with the two previous matchups between the Dukes and Ramblers ending in a scoreless draw.
UP NEXT
Duquesne, which sits in a tie for fifth place in the Atlantic 10 standings with VCU thanks to 12 points, takes to the road for its next two contests. The opener of the two-game swing is set for Sunday, Oct. 19, at 1:00 p.m. at Saint Joseph's before a visit to St. Bonaventure Thrusday, Oct. 23.
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