BALTIMORE, Md. – Three second-half goals paired with a stout defensive effort led the Colgate women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Loyola on Saturday afternoon in the Patriot League opener for both teams at the Ridley Athletic Complex.
 
Colgate took charge of the match early in the second half, rattling off three unanswered goals over a seven-minute span. Martina Loncar got the Raiders on the board in the 50th minute after winning a battle in front. Ruby Diodati sent a long cross into the box, where Loncar fended off a defender and chipped in a high shot off the left post and in for the go-ahead goal. 
 
Less than three minutes later, a Jenna Borovinsky blocked shot from point blank left a loose ball near the goal line and Leah Lewis slid through a scrum to knock the ball past Loyola keeper Sumer Rahe.
 
Loncar used fancy footwork to add her second tally of the night in the 58th minute, beating the keeper to the right side on a breakaway. Abby Sotomayor and Dom DeMarco came away with assists on the goal as the Raiders jumped out to a 3-0 lead just over 13 minutes into the second half.
 
The Raiders continued to control possession and force Loyola to play defense. DeMarco and Adrienne Vaughn fired shots down the stretch and Kelly Chiavaro went unscathed with a pair of saves in the second half to preserve her third clean sheet of the season.
 
Loyola earned the first few chances of the match with three straight shots on goal over the first eight minutes. Chiavaro answered the bell with three key saves to keep the match scoreless at the half and shift momentum in Colgate's favor for the second-half surge.
 
BOTTOM LINE
• Colgate 3, Loyola 0.
 
RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate improved to 3-2-0 overall and opened Patriot League play 1-0-0.
• Loyola fell to 3-5-0 and 0-1-0 in Patriot League action.

KEY RAIDER INFO
• The Raiders' three second-half goals were the most in a single frame since netting three in the first half against Lafayette on Oct. 7, 2017.
• Colgate has now won eight consecutive league openers, including two straight over Loyola.
• The Raiders extend their unbeaten streak to three straight games. 
• Martina Loncar's two goals were the second and third goals of her career. Leah Lewis netted her second career goal.
• Kelly Chiavaro finished with five saves to earn her third shutout of the season.  
• Ruby Diodati, Jenna Borovinsky, Abby Sotomayor, and Dom DeMarco gave the Raiders a season-high four assists.

FACTS AND FIGURES
• Shots were dead even at 14-14 and 5-5 on goal.  
• Loyola held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-2.
• Fouls finished 8-4 in favor of Colgate.
 
FROM THE SOURCE
• Colgate head coach Kathy Brawn: Tonight was a tale of two halves. Loyola dictated much of the tempo in the early going and kept us from finding our rhythm. With some halftime adjustments, along with pure grit and determination, we were able to refocus our efforts and come away with the win. Martina Loncar's two finishes and Leah's great second effort were just what we needed. It was a terrific team victory.

GATE GRAB BAG
• Attendance at Ridley Athletic Complex was 226.
 
UP NEXT 
•  Colgate gets back to non-conference action with a home matchup against Fairfield on Tuesday night. 
•  Kickoff from Beyer-Small '76 Field is set for 6 p.m.