Loyola and UW-Milwaukee set to compete in 2006 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament
Nov. 6, 2006
Loyola University Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are both slated in the field of 64 as the 2006 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship Bracket was announced today (Nov. 6). It is the first time in League history that two teams have made it to the NCAA Tournament.
The Loyola women's soccer team (14-6-3) returns to the scene of its Horizon League title as the Ramblers will take on No. 16 Florida (13-5-4) in a NCAA Tournament First Round match in Milwaukee, Wis. Unlike the conference tournament victory, Marquette will serve as the host for this quadrant of the bracket, with the Golden Eagles taking on Purdue in the other match.
Loyola earned the Horizon League's automatic bid with a 2-1 win over Detroit in Sunday's title match hosted by UW-Milwaukee. Freshman Cynthia Morote-Ariza, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Championship, leads the Ramblers with 27 points from nine goals and nine assists and was joined on the all-tournament team by classmate Jackie Vera and junior Heather Lau.
The Panthers square off against the University of Michigan in South Bend, Ind., on Friday, Nov. 10, with the winner set to face the winner of host Notre Dame and Oakland.
Milwaukee was awarded its first at-large berth in program history and now makes its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. UWM is making its second-straight appearance after advancing to the second round for the first time in school history last season.
The Panthers enter the tournament at 16-3-1 on the season and with just one loss in their last 14 games (12-1-1). Their school-record 11-game winning streak came to an end in the semifinals of last weekend's Horizon League Tournament. Milwaukee won its seventh-straight league regular season title, but fell to No. 4 Detroit, 1-0, on Friday. UWM has set school records for wins, shutouts (15) and consecutive wins (11) this season.
Michigan sits 9-7-5 on the year after falling to No. 12 Penn State in the Big Ten Semifinals, 2-0. The Wolverines finished sixth in the Big Ten during the regular season with a 4-3-3 conference mark.
UWM and UM have faced just once before, with the Wolverines scoring a 3-2 win Oct. 22, 2000.
