Wheaton, Ill. – A single goal in each half was the difference today (Nov. 15), as the Saint Benedict soccer team fell 2-0 to Loras in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Loras (18-3-1) kept the pressure on all game, finishing with a shot margin of 12-to-8 over the Blazers.
 
The two team's effectively swapped spots in the latest national rankings, with the Blazers (16-3-1) jumping in at No. 25, while Loras fell out after ranking 25th the previous week.  But Loras looked every bit a national contender today, winning for the sixth straight time, and scoring their third straight 2-0 victory.
 
Blazers went after the Duhawks hard in the final minutes, firing off five late shots, but were unable to get one past Duhawk keeper Hannah Wilson, who stopped all three shots that made it to her.
 
Loras got their goals in the 38th minute, to take a 1-0 lead into halftime, and then again right out of the break in the 53rd minute to go ahead 2-0 for the final margin of victory. Katie Truesdale was all the Duhawks needed as she bagged both goals, ramping her season total up to 15 on the year.
 
In a first half controlled but the Duhawks, the Blazers made them work for the game's first goal.  With 10 shots it the period, Loras was held off the board until there were less than 10 minutes remaining.
 
The Blazers then put the pressure on to outshoot the Duhawks 6-to-2 in the second.
 
Heather Kaluznaik (Plymouth, Minn.) finished with seven saves, her fourth straight game with at least that many. 
 
For the Blazers, the winningest season in program history comes to an end with a record 16 wins, and titles in both the MIAC regular season and postseason.
 
Loras will now advance to play No. 4 Wheaton in the second round tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., with the winner moving on to NCAA sectional play next weekend.