The men’s and women’s soccer and teams had quite a fall for Loyola athletics. The season seemed to go up and down for both programs. The men’s and women’s basketball programs found ways to pull out victories toward the end of the season when it was time for conference tournaments. Both the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams are looking to make late season pushes as well as playoff time is heating up.
Men’s Soccer
The Loyola Greyhounds’ men’s soccer team won nine matches this fall while losing seven. The team had two ties during the season one being to Saint Peter’s who they would eventually lose to in the MAAC Conference tournament which was hosted at Ridley Athletic Complex. The team got off to a bit of a rocky start, but then won four straight before drawing a tie with Saint Peter’s and then won three more after. The Greyhounds finished fourth in the MAAC while picking up 13 MAAC weekly awards. Senior forward Phil Bannister gave Loyola fans a season to remember, earning national recognition for his work on and off the field. Expectations ran high entering the season. The MAAC tabbed the Greyhounds, returning 10 seniors from last year’s MAAC Championship-winning team, as the favorite to win the league once again. Phil Bannister earned MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and Gerwyn Jones joined Bannister on the Preseason All-MAAC Team. The Greyhounds played the ninth-toughest schedule in the country and faced two teams in William & Mary and Maryland that reached the NCAA College Cup Sweet 16. Although there were high hopes for the 2010 season, the Greyhounds will return in 2011 with a chip on their shoulders.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer season finished a .500 season with nine wins and nine loses along with two draws. The team opened the season with a win over Towson before losing the next four games. The next seven games however, would be a little crazy. All seven games went into overtime. Sophomore forward Nichole Schiro earned MAAC C0-Offensive Player of the Year honors after finishing the season with 15 goals. Kelly Farrell and Lina Staropoli also joined Schiro on the All-MAAC first team. The women’s team failed to make the MAAC Conference tournament, but certainly have very high expectations for next season.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team posted a .500 season as well with 15 wins and 15 loses. The Greyhounds had a tough season, but finished strong as they made it to the MAAC tournament which was hosted in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The basketball team entered the weekend as the No. 5 seed for the 2011 Spark Energy MAAC Basketball Championship. This was the third time in five years that the Greyhounds received a first-round bye and it is only the fourth time Loyola has moved directly into the quarterfinals since the tournament added first round games. Also, for the third time in five years, the Greyhounds defeated eight of their nine MAAC opponents. Senior guard Brian Rudolph is the only member of the Greyhounds’ roster to have enjoyed a MAAC Championship victory as the starting point guard on the 2007-2008 team that advanced to the MAAC Semifinals. Rudolph, was the leader on and off the floor and is just one of two Greyhounds who recorded 500 or more assists during his career as a Greyhound.
Women’s Basketball
The Loyola women’s basketball team had a very memorable season to say the least. Their overall record was 21-13 while going 15-3 in the league. The Greyhounds lost in the MAAC Conference Championship game to Marist which would have given them a spot in the NCAA tournament. However, the women advanced to the WNIT and won in the first round but came up short against Virginia in the second round. It was teams first post season appearance as well as the first WNIT tournament appearance. This was a great accomplishment for the Loyola women’s basketball team and the expectations for next year are going to be held high.
Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse
The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams are still in season and are having very strong spring thus far. The men are now 8-3 as they head into the last regular season game against rival Johns Hopkins. They have made it to the ECAC Conference tournament which will be held in Denver, Colorado. As the season comes to an end, the team hopes to make a late season push because playoffs are right around the corner. The women’s lacrosse team has had a pretty incredible spring so far. The team started out 12-0 before failing to Big East rival Georgetown. The Greyhounds bounced back with a big victory over Rutgers. Loyola hosts Syracuse on Friday night at Ridley Athletic Complex.