On Senior Night at Brown Field for the Valparaiso women’s soccer team, it was only fitting that a senior would register the match-winning goal, as Kristen Warner’s (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard South) first career goal would stand as the eventual match-winner in a 2-1 victory over Loyola Saturday evening.  With the win, the Crusaders extended their unbeaten streak to ten consecutive matches.

Prior to the match, Valpo honored the five members of this season’s senior class.  Warner, Kelsey Draper (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg), Erika Schoemann (Calgary, Alberta/Saint Mary’s) and Abby Kenyon (Canton, Ohio/Jackson) have been with the Crusader program since the 2011 campaign, while Kaylee Draper (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg [Bowling Green]) transferred in prior to this season.

The Crusaders got on the board in the 21^st minute, scoring on their fifth shot attempt of the night.  Schoemann sent a long diagonal pass in from her spot on the back line, springing April Cronin (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) behind the Rambler defense.  Cronin ran onto the ball, and with just goalkeeper Monica Gonyo to beat, calmly tapped it past her into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.

Just over two minutes later, Valpo would double its lead on a superb individual effort from Warner.  The senior gained possession in the 23^rd minute 30 yards out from goal, just right of the center of the park.  Warner drilled a shot from there which Gonyo had no shot at, as the golazo rifled into the upper-left corner of the net for a 2-0 Crusader lead.

"I thought that after the first few minutes, we settled in and had a pretty good rhythm," said Crusader head coach John Marovich.  "Erika's ball to April was something we thought would be there - Erika hit a quality ball, and April did a nice job collecting it and tucking it away.  Getting that goal really relaxed our group, and over the next 20 min or so, we had a really nice rhythm.  A little later, Kristen did what she does so well, finding a pocket of space to get a good shot off, and ended up finding the goal.  Going up 2-0 was a huge way to start the match."

Loyola cut the lead in half early in the second half, as in the 61^st minute, a Crusader defender headed a cross in the air from the right flank into the back of Valpo’s net for an own goal, making it a 2-1 game.  But the Crusaders would not allow the Ramblers to equalize, as both of their shots on goal over the final 30 minutes were saved by redshirt sophomore Sydney Galvez-Daley (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick).

"Loyola put us under a bit of pressure when we were up 2-0, and we didn't handle it as well as we would have liked," said Marovich.  "The good news is that it teaches us in a non-league game how we need to respond in dangerous and critical moments.  The own goal was unfortunate, but those things happen, and it just added to the adversity we had to deal with.  I thought our players responded appropriately - they moved on right away and did what we needed to do in order to kill the game off."

Galvez-Daley made six saves in earning the victory, while Gonyo stopped five shots for Loyola (4-9-0).  The Crusaders out-shot the Ramblers on the evening, 13-12, as they continue to out-shoot their opponents in every match this season.

Valparaiso (6-1-4) returns to Horizon League play for the rest of the regular season, starting off Wednesday evening at UIC.  Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. from Chicago, with live stats available through ValpoAthletics.com.