Girls Soccer: Loyola wins showdown with New Trier

Updated: April 15, 2012 10:00AM

Loyola needed to regroup. Colleen McShane delivered the goods.

The senior blasted in a ball from about 22 yards out two minutes into the start of the second half that broke a scoreless tie and ignited the No. 7 Ramblers’ 2-0 victory over No. 3 New Trier in the marquee game of the Pepsi Showdown Saturday at Olympic Park in Schaumburg.

The Ramblers (11-0-1) advance to play No. 4 and top-seeded Metea Valley in next Saturday’s semifinals. Metea Valley shut out Stevenson 3-0.

The game marked the first time since 2005 the North Shore rivals played during the regular season. “We played the last three years in the sectional [finals],” Loyola coach Craig Snower said. “We’ve won once, and they’ve won twice, and the cumulative score of the games is 3-3. That tells you how close we’ve been.”

Sophomore midfielder Lia Baldo controlled and a dropped a ball that McShane controlled and nailed in perfect stride. Her lofted ball just eluded the grasp of New Trier keeper Emma Schaff at the game’s 42nd minute.

“I got just enough movement that [Schaff] seemed to freeze for just that moment,” McShane said. “In the first half, coach Snower said we were playing too hectic and we had to get organized. That was probably the difference in the game.”

At the 54th minute, Loyola scored a goal on sophomore midfielder Tori Iatarola’s score off a disputed penalty kick. Loyola senior forward Meeghan Smith was ruled fouled in the box. Originally, Corey Burns was selected to take the penalty kick. Schaff appeared to stop her attempt, but the official said he never formally ruled the start of play. Iatarola drilled the second shot.

“I thought there was minimal contact outside of the box,” New Trier coach Jim Burnside said.

Like it has all year, Loyola suffocated the offensive attack of New Trier (9-1). The Ramblers have allowed only one goal in 12 games. Junior defender Burns keyed the backline that constantly surrounded New Trier playmakers Jess Weaver and Maddie Mulford.

“They just tighten the space and closed everything off,” Mulford said. “We couldn’t get into offensive rhythm. They had both of us marked and they shadowed and we just never able to generate any real offensive possessions.”

Loyola also survived the loss of senior midfielder Carolina Zadina, who suffered a broken nose early in the second half. Star junior keeper Brittany San Roman recorded five of her six saves in the second half.

“Loyola is a very athletic and organized team, and we had to be ready to play at the start of the half, and we can’t have the communications errors we had when you have to make a play in a scoreless tie,” Burnside said.

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