Loyola women travel to Nebraska to take on Creighton and Nebraska this weekend

Game No. 2
Loyola Greyhounds (1-0-0) vs. Creighton Blue Jays (0-1-1)
Friday, August 27, 2010  •  2 p.m. (CDT)  •  Adidas Husker Classic
Lincoln, Nebraska  •  Nebraska Soccer Field

Game No. 3
Loyola Greyhounds at Nebraska Huskers
Sunday, August 29, 2010  •  11 a.m. (CDT)  •  Adidas Husker Classic
Lincoln, Nebraska  •  Nebraska Soccer Field

Game Data

• Loyola University Maryland’s women’s soccer team travels to the Midwest this weekend for two games in the Adidas Husker Classic at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb.
• The Greyhounds will take on Creighton at 2 p.m. (CDT) on Friday, August 27, in the classic’s first game, and Loyola then plays the host Huskers at 11 a.m. (CDT) on Sunday, August 29.
• The games are the furthest west the Greyhounds have traveled since going to Colorado Springs for the Colorado College Invitational in 2007.

Series History

• Loyola is facing both Creighton and Nebraska for the first time. The Greyhounds have never played a team in the Missouri Valley Conference, of which the Blue Jays are a member. Sunday’s game versus the Huskers will be Loyola’s second against a Big 12 Conference member; the Greyhounds lost 3-2 at Texas in 2004. Loyola will play another Big 12 team, Missouri, later this season.

Going West

• Entering this weekend’s games, Loyola women’s soccer has played 13 previous games west of the Mississippi River, dating back to the program’s inception in 1992. The Greyhounds are 3-10 in those contests.

Spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola

• Creighton and Loyola are two of 28 members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities nationwide. The game on Friday is one of five Loyola will play against Jesuit schools this season – Creighton, St. Louis, Canisius, Fairfield and Saint Peter’s. Another Jesuit institution, Loyola University Chicago is also participating in the Husker Classic, playing the hosts on Friday and Creighton on Sunday.

Last Time Out

• Loyola won its season opener on Saturday, August 21, with a 3-2 decision over Towson in the first women’s soccer game at Ridley Athletic Complex.
• The visiting Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, but their advantage lasted less than nine minutes, as Kelly Farrell tied the game at 33:53.
• Nichole Schiro added two goals for Loyola, sandwiched around another Towson score.
• The Greyhounds are now 11-7-1 all-time in their first games on the schedule.

Schiro Strikes Twice

• Nichole Schiro had the first multi-goal game of her career on Saturday evening against Towson, scoring both goals in the first half. She scored her first goal at 39:30 and the second, and eventual game-winner, at 43:54.
• On Monday, Schiro was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week for her efforts against the Tigers.
• In 24 games at Loyola, Schiro has scored 11 goals, six of them the game-winning variety.
• As a freshman in 2009, Schiro scored nine goals and assisted on six others for 24 points. She scored six of her goals in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action, leading the lead in goals during league play, and she earned MAAC All-Rookie honors.

Classy Senior

• Lina Staropoli has been named one of 30 candidates nationally for the 2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The award honors seniors who show exemplary merit in the classroom, competition, character and community.
• Staropoli, a 2010 Preseason All-MAAC team member, assisted on Loyola’s first goal of the season, a Kelly Farrell score in the 34th minute. The assist was the 16th of Staropoli’s career at Loyola, moving her into sole possession of sixth place on the school’s all-time list.
• With her next assist, she’ll move into a tie for fifth with Ashley Kramer and Katie Elliott.

Look Who’s Back

• The Greyhounds return two All-MAAC performers – midfielders Kelly Farrell and Lina Staropoli – three MAAC All-Rookie honorees –forward Nichole Schiro, midfielder Tessa McClenahan and back Lauren Norcia – and the 2009 MAAC Championships Most Valuable Player -– Gianna Mangione.
• Additionally, the Greyhounds retained 60.5-percent of their goal scoring and 80-percent of assist contributors from last year.
• Schiro led all Loyola players in 2009 with nine goals and 24 total points, while Kelly Thomas was the team leader with eight assists.

Looking Back

• Loyola advanced to its seventh NCAA College Cup in 2009 and finished the season with a 15-5-3 record, 9-0-0 in MAAC regular-season play.
• The Greyhounds traveled to Winston-Salem, N.C., for the first round of the 2009 College Cup and played West Virginia. The Mountaineers came away with a 3-0 victory.
• Loyola put together a 14-game unbeaten streak from September 18-November 1, the longest in program history. The Greyhounds’ 15 wins are tied for second-most in the annals of Loyola women’s soccer.

In The Coaches Box

• Katherine Remy Vettori starts her third season as the head coach of the Greyhounds, bringing a 25-11-7 career record to the sidelines at the start of the season. Vettori, who led Loyola to the MAAC regular-season and tournament titles last year, was named Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year in 2009.
• Vettori is assisted by third-year assistant coaches Erin Konheim, Amanda Piccirilli and Dave Nesbitt.