Loyola Women’s Soccer Battles William & Mary to 1-1 Draw in 2026 Season Opener

The Loyola University Maryland women’s soccer team opened the 2026 season by showing some early resilience, battling William & Mary to a 1-1 draw Wednesday night at Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore.

Junior forward Katie Ormerod scored Loyola’s first goal of the new season, answering a William & Mary goal almost immediately as the Greyhounds avoided opening their schedule with a home loss.

William & Mary took the lead in the 25th minute when Mia Abbey scored at the 24:56 mark, finishing a sequence assisted by Ava Magnuson and Brooke Oswald. Loyola needed barely two minutes to respond.

At 26:57, Betzael Contreras found Ormerod, who converted the opportunity to tie the match at one. The goal was Ormerod’s first of the season, while Contreras picked up her first assist.

That quick response proved important because neither side scored over the remaining 63 minutes.

Greyhounds Control the Corners

While William & Mary generated more total shots, Loyola consistently created opportunities through set pieces.

The Greyhounds finished with an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks, including four corners in each half. William & Mary held a 7-3 edge in shots and placed four attempts on goal compared with two for Loyola.

Loyola remained aggressive late in the match, earning three corner kicks during the final 10 minutes as the Greyhounds searched for a game-winning goal. Reagan Mallia also had a second-half shot blocked during Loyola’s late push.

The Greyhounds were unable to turn that pressure into a second goal, but they also did not allow William & Mary to regain the lead.

Goetzer Solid in Goal

Senior goalkeeper Hannah Goetzer played all 90 minutes for Loyola, allowing one goal while making three saves.

Goetzer made two first-half saves and another after halftime, helping keep Loyola even as William & Mary produced four second-half shots.

William & Mary used two goalkeepers. Gwen Doughty played the opening 45 minutes and made one save while allowing Ormerod’s goal, while Mia Tegeris handled the second half and did not face a shot on goal.

The Greyhounds’ back line also deserves credit for keeping the Tribe off the scoreboard over the final 65 minutes.

Encouraging Start for Loyola

A draw may not be the result Loyola wanted at home, but there are positives to take from the opener.

The Greyhounds fell behind and responded almost immediately rather than allowing William & Mary to control the match. Loyola also found ways to generate offensive pressure despite finishing with only three shots.

Loyola is coming off a 5-5-8 season in 2025, including a 2-2-5 Patriot League record. The Greyhounds reached the Patriot League Tournament for the sixth consecutive season before losing to Army West Point in the quarterfinals.

Expectations remain relatively high entering 2026. Loyola was picked fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll with 51 points, trailing Army West Point, Boston University and Colgate.

Wednesday’s draw moves Loyola to 0-0-1 on the young season.

A Major Test Comes Next

Loyola will not have much time to ease into its schedule.

The Greyhounds stay at Ridley Athletic Complex and host No. 10 Arkansas on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.

Arkansas entered the season ranked 10th nationally in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll after winning its fifth SEC regular-season championship in seven seasons in 2025. The Razorbacks were also picked second in the 2026 SEC preseason coaches poll.

That makes Sunday an immediate measuring-stick game for Loyola.

The Greyhounds did not overwhelm William & Mary offensively in their opener, but their response after falling behind, advantage on corner kicks and steady play from Goetzer helped them come away with a point.

Against a nationally ranked Arkansas program, Loyola will likely need to generate more chances from open play. Still, Wednesday’s performance provided a solid foundation as the Greyhounds begin another run toward the Patriot League Tournament.

Final: Loyola Maryland 1, William & Mary 1

Loyola goal: Katie Ormerod, 27th minute
Assist: Betzael Contreras
Shots: William & Mary 7, Loyola 3
Shots on goal: William & Mary 4, Loyola 2
Corner kicks: Loyola 8, William & Mary 3
Loyola saves: Hannah Goetzer 3
Attendance: 180

Maryland Sports Blog — www.marylandsportsblog.com