Final Stats

VALPARAISO, Ind. - Zeb Taublieb's goal at the 4:31 mark of the first overtime pushed Valparaiso past the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team by a final score of 1-0 tonight in Valparaiso, Ind. The Crusaders improve to 4-1-2 with the victory, while the Ramblers slip back to .500 at 3-3-0.

Freshman Elliot Collier, fresh off scoring his second goal of the season against Butler last Saturday, notched Loyola's lone shot on target of the opening stanza in the fifth minute of play. The Hamilton, New Zealand native fired a shot that skipped along the turf at Brown Field, forcing Nico Campbell, the Crusader goalkeeper, to dive to push the shot off his near post. The hosts wasted little time in answering with an attack of their own when Jordan Aidoud put a headed attempt right into the arms of Loyola goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski.

In a first half that was played at a frenetic pace with a physical tone, Jordan James, Valparaiso's leading goal scorer coming into the evening, had what may have been the best opportunity of the first 45 minutes when he was presented with an uncontested look at the Loyola goal. James unleashed a blast that sailed wide at the far post as the two former Horizon League rivals headed into halftime in a scoreless deadlock.

It took just a mere two minutes for the Crusaders to generate the second half's first chance. Coming off his team's first corner kick of the game, Eric Nieto's header in the 47th minute looked to be headed for the back of the net but a Loyola defender managed to clear it off the line to keep the Crusaders at bay. The early scare in the second half looked to awaken the Ramblers as they began to slowly control possession and work into the attacking third of the field. Freshman John Cappuccitti broke free inside the 18-yard box in the 65th minute with a great opportunity to put the Maroon & Gold on top but sailed his attempt over Campbell's crossbar.

Chances were at a premium for both sides as time ticked away in regulation. Nick Suker's header off a Jacob Gandarilla corner in the 67th minute trickled wide of Dobrowolski's far post. Ryan Howe's blast from 15 yards out that went high of goal in the 78th minute proved to be the final shot of the half for either team as the game headed to overtime scoreless.

Freshman Brody Kraussel looked to end it early on in the first extra session but could only watch as his header floated wide. James fired right back at the other end but had his shot blocked away by the Rambler backline to force a Valparaiso corner. Taublieb made certain that the Ramblers were to be sent home empty handed in the fifth minute of overtime when he controlled a rebound off a shot by Suker and slotted it past Dobrowolski to give Valparaiso its third overtime win of the season.

Four different Ramblers notched shots this evening, with Collier's being the lone on target. Dobrowolski made a season-high four saves in the defeat. Taublieb's game-winner brought an end to a 455-minute scoreless stretch between Loyola and Valparaiso that dated back to a meeting on Oct. 26, 2011.

Loyola is back in action on Saturday night when it opens Missouri Valley Conference play by hosting the Bradley Braves at Loyola Soccer Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.