Oct. 19, 2013
Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. - For the second time this week, the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team turned in a valiant effort but conceded a pair of second half goals, falling to Bradley, 2-0, this evening in Peoria, Ill. Sophomore Ryan Howe tallied a season-high five shots for the Ramblers.
"Bradley is always an extremely difficult opponent to play against," said Loyola head men's soccer coach Neil Jones. "Both teams had their chances tonight, and they took theirs better than we did. I can't fault our effort, but we continue to learn difficult lessons that at this level get punished by good teams and quality players."
Loyola dictated the pace of the game in the opening twenty minutes and generated a handful of early opportunities. Sophomore Dane Bergstrom, who scored his first goal of the season a week ago, had his headed attempt saved by Brian Billings, the Bradley goalkeeper, in the third minute. Freshman Kevin Engesser's shot was blocked by the Braves backline shortly there after before junior Brian Bement watched Billings turn away his attempt in the 18th minute.
Sophomore Tim Dobrowolski was solid in goal for the Maroon & Gold in the first half, making a pair of saves as the game went to the halftime break scoreless. Despite being outshot 10-6, the Ramblers held a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes of play.
The visitors again came out with a purpose following the halftime break, generating four corners in the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Loyola continued to amass chances as well. Sophomore Jake Savino registered the Ramblers' first shot on goal of the second session but Billings made one of his five saves of the evening to keep the game knotted at nil-nil.
Alon Badat, Bradley's leading goal scorer coming into Saturday night, lived up to his billing. Badat netted what would be the game-winner in the 69th minute when he hammered a loose ball, which came off a throw in, past Dobrowolski and into the back of the Loyola net. He completed the brace, scoring his sixth goal of the season, after breaking free from the Rambler defense and chipping his shot past the Loyola netminder. Howe made a late bid to get Loyola on the board, only for Billings to make his final save of the game and secure the shutout.
Loyola will hope that a stretch that sees it play three of its final five games at home helps propel them up the Missouri Valley Conference table. The first of those games is slated for Wednesday night at 6 p.m. against the Drake Bulldogs at Loyola Soccer Park.
