Loyola Women’s Soccer Earns Historic 1-1 Draw Against No. 10 Arkansas
The Loyola University Maryland women’s soccer team delivered one of the biggest results in program history Sunday night, battling No. 10 Arkansas to a 1-1 draw at Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore.
Graduate midfielder Reagan Mallia scored the equalizer in the 55th minute, while senior goalkeeper Hannah Goetzer made five saves as the Greyhounds held off a nationally ranked Southeastern Conference opponent.
The draw marked Loyola’s highest-ranked win or tie in program history and kept the Greyhounds unbeaten at 0-0-2 through their first two games of the 2026 season.
Arkansas strikes first
Arkansas entered the match ranked No. 10 nationally and immediately put pressure on the Loyola defense.
The Razorbacks took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute after Kennedy Ball drew a foul inside the penalty area. Zoe Susi stepped to the spot and converted the ensuing penalty kick for her first goal of the season.
Arkansas controlled much of the first half statistically, outshooting Loyola 7-2 and taking a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Razorbacks nearly doubled the lead late in the half when Aniyah Nurse-Whyte had a dangerous free-kick opportunity just outside the penalty area, but her attempt went over the crossbar.
Despite the pressure, Loyola entered halftime trailing by only one goal.
That proved important.
Mallia scores directly from the corner
Loyola found its answer just 10 minutes into the second half.
Mallia stepped up to take a corner kick in the 55th minute and produced one of the highlights of Loyola’s young season, scoring an Olympico goal directly off the corner kick to tie the match at 1-1.
The goal was Mallia’s first of the season.
It also completely changed the feel of the match.
Loyola generated four corner kicks during the second half and became increasingly difficult for Arkansas to break down defensively.
Arkansas continued to control possession and create chances, but the Greyhounds refused to surrender another goal.
Goetzer stands tall
Goetzer was one of the biggest reasons Loyola walked away with the draw.
She finished with five saves and came through repeatedly during the final 35 minutes.
Goetzer stopped Ivy Harding in the 56th minute and denied Nurse-Whyte six minutes later. Her biggest stretch came around the 80th minute when she made back-to-back stops against Bella Field and Cora Hair to preserve the 1-1 score.
Arkansas continued pushing for the winner late.
The Razorbacks had another dangerous opportunity in the 81st minute when Susi delivered a set piece toward Field inside the six-yard box. Goetzer reacted with a diving save and again kept Arkansas from regaining the lead.
For a Loyola team that entered the season with goalkeeper and defensive experience as one of its strengths, Sunday’s performance reinforced that identity.
Greyhounds withstand heavy pressure
Arkansas finished with a commanding 16-3 advantage in shots and held a 6-1 edge in shots on goal.
The Razorbacks also led 8-6 in corner kicks.
Those numbers made Loyola’s ability to earn a result even more impressive.
Geneve Pouliot, Eva McGorian and the rest of the Greyhounds defensive group helped withstand wave after wave of Arkansas pressure.
Loyola committed 14 fouls during a physical match, but the only Arkansas goal came from the penalty spot. The Greyhounds did not concede a goal during open play.
That is an encouraging result against a Razorbacks program that entered the season picked second in the SEC preseason coaches poll.
Arkansas also entered 2026 coming off a 10-5-4 season and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
This was also the first meeting between Loyola and Arkansas and Loyola’s first game against an SEC opponent since facing Florida in 2005.
Unbeaten through two
Loyola has now opened its season with consecutive 1-1 draws.
The Greyhounds tied William & Mary in the opener after Katie Ormerod scored in the 27th minute to answer an early Tribe goal.
Sunday represented a significantly tougher test.
Arkansas arrived in Baltimore as the No. 10 team in the country, yet Loyola stayed within striking distance, found its opportunity and took advantage of it.
The Greyhounds are now 0-0-2 through two matches.
Arkansas moved to 0-1-1.
MSB Take
This feels much closer to a win than a draw for Loyola.
Arkansas dominated the shot total and spent long stretches attacking, but Loyola never allowed the match to get away from it.
That is what made this performance impressive.
The Greyhounds stayed organized, Goetzer made the saves she needed to make and Mallia delivered a special moment when Loyola finally got an opportunity to answer.
Scoring directly from a corner kick against the No. 10 team in the country is going to be one of the highlights of Loyola’s season regardless of what happens from here.
More importantly, Loyola proved it can compete with a nationally ranked opponent.
Arkansas finished with 16 shots to Loyola’s three, yet the Razorbacks could not score from open play.
For a program that prides itself on defensive organization, that is a strong statement early in the season.
Two games have produced two draws, but Loyola should feel much better about the second one.
Holding No. 10 Arkansas to a 1-1 result is the kind of performance that can build confidence heading deeper into the nonconference schedule and eventually Patriot League play.
Final: Loyola Maryland 1, No. 10 Arkansas 1.
