Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
No. 10 Arkansas soccer battled to a 1-1 draw at Loyola Maryland on Sunday in Baltimore, picking up the first tie of its 2026 season.
The Razorbacks controlled most of the match statistically but couldn’t find a second goal to pull away.
Arkansas didn’t wait long to get on the board. In the 28th minute, senior midfielder Kennedy Ball drew a foul inside the penalty box, setting up a penalty kick for midfielder Zoe Susi.
Susi buried it to give the Hogs a 1-0 edge and improved to 3-3 on career penalty kicks in the process.
The Razorbacks nearly doubled their lead before halftime. With three minutes left in the opening period, freshman forward MacKenzie Gwin was fouled just outside the box.
Junior midfielder Aniyah Nurse-Whyte stepped up for the free kick and used some misdirection on her approach but the shot sailed just over the crossbar.
Arkansas closed out the first half well ahead on the stat sheet, out-shooting Loyola 7-2 and holding an edge in corner kicks at 4-2.
Loyola answers early in second half
Loyola didn’t stay quiet for long.
Just 10 minutes into the second half midfielder Reagan Mallia scored off a corner kick that snuck past Razorback defenders right on the goal line, evening the score at 1-1.
Arkansas kept pushing after the equalizer and drew multiple fouls near the 18-yard box but couldn’t cash in on its set-piece chances.
The best look came in the 81st minute after Nurse-Whyte was fouled near the corner flag.
Susi who handled most of Arkansas’s free kicks Sunday found Bella Field inside the six-yard box but Loyola goalkeeper Hannah Goetzer came up with a diving save to keep things level.
By the final whistle Arkansas had piled up a commanding shot advantage at 16-3 and led in corners 8-6.
Razorback goalkeeper Keegan Smith wasn’t tested with a save all match. But she did punch away a dangerous corner kick in the first half. That kept the door shut.
The draw keeps Arkansas unbeaten early in the season even as the Hogs search for their first win. The team now shifts its attention to a much bigger test at home.
Arkansas hosts North Carolina next
The Razorbacks return to Razorback Field on Thursday Aug. 20 to host a top-10 North Carolina squad with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.
The match will air live on ESPNU.
The Tar Heels enter the matchup unbeaten, too, having opened their season with wins over Fairfield and Quinnipiac.
It sets up an early top-10 showdown for Arkansas as SEC play draws closer.
Key takeaways
- Arkansas earned a 1-1 draw at Loyola Maryland behind a Zoe Susi penalty kick and dominated the shot count 16-3
- Loyola tied the match early in the second half on a corner kick goal from Reagan Mallia
- The Hogs host a top-10 North Carolina team Thursday Aug. 20 at Razorback Field with kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU
