BOX SCORE TOWSON, Md. – In a tightly contested match, Loyola (3-4) came out the victor, with a 1-0 win over Towson women's soccer (2-4-1) on Friday night at Ridley Athletic Complex in the first round of the Battle of Baltimore.

The first quarter of the match was played primarily in the midfield. Twenty minutes into the game, neither team had registered a shot. The Tigers showed more aggression near the end of the first half but weren't able to send their shots on frame.

"I thought this was some of the most organized soccer [in the first half] we've played all season," said Head Coach Greg Paynter. "We controlled the game, the tempo in the first half, and Loyola came out in the second half and changed the tempo, and we got lulled to sleep a little."

After more back-and-forth action to start the second half, Loyola's Kelsey Targarona scored from distance, shooting left to right, to put the Greyhounds up 1-0 in the 54th minute. Twice in the next 10 minutes senior goalkeeper Erin Quinn made big saves on point-blank Loyola headers to keep the Greyhounds' advantage at 1-0.

"We were on our heels a little," continued Paynter. "But we still got a few good chances."

Sophomore Nat Pinkney had an opportunity in the 70th minute from eight yards out, but she got under the shot and sent it high over the crossbar.

In addition to her quality minutes in the final frame, Quinn made several good decisions in the first half, coming off her line to claim long crosses despite high-speed pursuits from Greyhounds.

"She is obviously a premier goalkeeper," praised Paynter. "She made some saves for us to keep us alive in that game, but we have to match that with our field players all the way through the game."

The Tigers return to the Tiger Soccer Complex to host the conclusion of the 2014 Battle of Baltimore on Sunday, Sept. 14 starting at noon. Loyola faces Mount St. Mary's (0-8) at noon before Towson takes on UMBC (5-1) at 2:30 p.m.