Pride suffer first loss of 2024 in 1-0 final at St. Xavier

CHICAGO, Ill. - Getting their first action away from home since their season opener on Aug. 22, the Clarke University women's soccer team dropped their first game of the season in a 1-0 loss to St. Xavier University on Tuesday night.

In a game where the Pride led in some of the major ball control stat categories like shots (9-7) and corner kicks (4-3) only one of Clarke's shots was able to be scored on net as the Cougars keeper, Natalie Dybas was able to make the only save she needed to in the first half as that shot on goal came shortly after one of Clarke's corner kicks.

Early on in the second half, in the 49th minute, SXU was able to break through as Hailey Henry scored off of an assist from Alex Jonaitis that would play as the eventual game-winning goal despite Clarke firing six shots off and taking three corner kicks following that goal in the second half.

Pride keeper Faith Krapfl made a season-high four saves, making two saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless then making two more saves in the second half in the 71st and 73rd minutes to keep the game at a one-goal deficit within reach for a potential CU comeback.

The one shot on goal for Clarke came from Laryssa Pritchard as the team's leaders in total shots in the game were Jaycee Page, who took three, and Christian Egger who took two with the team's leaders in minutes were a trio of backline players who all played the entire game in Hope Ward, Morgan Lock, and Brie Cote.

Clarke women's soccer will return home to Burrows Field for their penultimate non-conference game of the season when they host Briar Cliff University on Saturday, Sept. 7 for a 1:00 p.m. CT kickoff at Burrows Field.