CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Loras College women’s soccer squad (16-0 overall, 7-0 A-R-C) has clinched at least a share of the 2024 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) regular season title this evening with a 5-0 defeat over Coe College.
The win sealed the program’s 17th overall conference championship and eighth in the last nine years. All eight of Loras’ most recent titles have come under the direction of head coach
Matt Pucci.
The Duhawks, along with all A-R-C women’s soccer teams, will wrap up conference play on Tuesday, October 29. Loras will finish their season on the pitch at home facing Central College. The A-R-C Women’s Soccer Tournament begins on Saturday, November 2.
In the first five minutes of action, the Duhawks found the back of the net with
Athena Sheets and an assist from
Lauren Riggle. Just three minutes later, Riggle scored herself with an assist from
Savannah Johnson and
Bella Scesniak. Just before the 25-minute mark,
Kaighin Frost found the net to put Loras up 3-0 before the half. Johnson, with an assist from
Emerson Gasmann, pushed the score to 4-0 at the 62-minute mark. The final score in the game came at the 67-minute mark with an assist from
Ciara Johnson to
Cana Duckworth.
Tonight’s victory earned Loras the top seed and a bye in the six-team conference tournament. The Duhawks will be in action in the postseason with a semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6 against an opponent to be determined.
Final seeds are up for grabs for the 2024 tournament and will be finalized following action on the pitch on Tuesday evening.
The championship match will take place on Saturday, November 9 at the highest remaining seed still alive in the bracket. The tournament champion receives the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship.
In the most recent NCAA Power Index Rankings, the Duhawks were ranked fourth and the Simpson College Storm were ranked 32nd.
About the American Rivers Conference
The Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the "Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association." Honoring its heritage in Iowa and its expansion outside the state, the American Rivers Conference brand was established on August 9, 2018, to build on the academic and athletic success provided by its legacy, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The A-R-C has nine full-time members: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.
