Oct. 8, 2013
Final Stats
CHICAGO - A well-disciplined defensive effort and timely saves from sophomore goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski was enough to help the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team bring a five-game losing streak to an end tonight in a scoreless draw in double overtime against Valparaiso. Tonight marks Loyola's first shutout performance since a 1-0 win at IPFW back on Sept. 6.
"It's nice to get a shutout at home tonight on an absolutely beautiful night in front of a good crowd," commented Loyola head men's soccer coach Neil Jones. "Valparaiso's a good team that is very well coached and has some good results this year. I thought defensively that we limited them to a couple of good chances and on those chances, Tim (Dobrowolski) came up huge and had his best performance of the season."
The two teams traded possession in the early going on what turned out to be a beautiful night for soccer in Rogers Park. Loyola had one of the most threatening opportunities of the early going in the 17th minute. A Crusader foul setup senior Enrique Garcia with a free kick from the left wing but his cross was unable to find a teammate's head.
It wouldn't be until the 21st minute of play before either side recorded a shot. Valparaiso's Nick Suker had a ball fall to him just inside the 18-yard box but the Loyola backline blocked his attempt. Less than two minutes later, Garcia attempted to head a cross into the Crusader net from close range but Nico Campbell was able to easily corral the ball.
Both sides settled in as the first half wore on and chances began to arise. Jesse Ortiz had the best scoring opportunity of the half for Valparaiso but was unable to settle a through ball and fired well high of Dobrowolski's net in the 30th minute. Freshman Kirill Likhovid looked to put Loyola ahead under eight minutes later following a corner from senior Max Van Houten but his header was turned away from Campbell and the game headed to the halftime break deadlocked at nil-nil.
Unlike at the start of the first half, neither team wasted time looking for a goal to begin the second 45 minutes of play. Jordan Aidoud watched his shot go high of the Loyola net before junior Andrew Raymonds' headed attempt had the same fate at the opposite end of the field. One of Loyola's best chances of the game materialized in the 74th minute when freshman Kevin Engesser, making only his second collegiate start, sent a through ball towards junior Brian Bement. The Waterloo, Ill. native looked to have a step on the Valparaiso defender but was unable to fully control the ball and could not get a shot off.
It would take just over 78 minutes before Dobrowolski was called upon to make a save but when needed, the sophomore stepped up in a big way. Dobrowolski, making his first start since Sept. 28, made an acrobatic save as he tipped Kevin Klett's header over his crossbar. The Rockford, Ill. product may have one-upped his previous effort when he made a point blank save on Nick Suker's shot in the 85th minute to preserve the third shutout of his career.
Both sides entered the overtime sessions looking for a game-winner. The visiting side laid claim to the majority of the opportunities in the first overtime, highlighted by Jack McIver's shot that sailed high of goal. Bement, who was substituted in before the start of the second overtime, had the game's final legitimate chance but couldn't win the race to ball against the Valparaiso netminder. Sophomore Ryan Howe's last-ditch effort was well high of goal as the two teams settled for a draw.
Following tonight's result, Loyola can now look forward to a weekend conference clash with the Evansville Purple Aces. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday night from Loyola Soccer Park.
