Final Stats

VALPARAISO, Ind. - For the fourth time in the last five years, the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team battled former league foe Valparaiso to a scoreless draw in double overtime. The result from this evening's contest at Brown Field in Valparaiso, Ind. sees both teams move to 1-2-1 overall.

"Tonight was a very hard-fought battle between two teams that really wanted to win," Loyola head men's soccer coach Neil Jones said. "I was disappointed with our first-half performance but in the second half we were much better and could've won the game. Now we have to rest up and prepare for a difficult Stetson team on Friday."

Neither side was able to generate an attempt in the opening quarter of an hour on a warm, muggy late summer evening in Northwest Indiana. Freshman Fabian Lifka notched the first shot of the night in the dying stages of the 15th minute but pulled his 30-yard free kick wide of the near post. Fellow freshman Alec Lasinski tested Crusader goalkeeper Nico Campbell less than three minutes later from 25 yards out, with Campbell proving up to the task. Redshirt sophomore Andrew Chekadanov, making his first start of the season, answered his counterpart seconds after when he denied Stian Sandbekkhaug.

As the half wore on, both teams struggled mightily to find opportunities in the final third. Jorge Bermudez had a golden opportunity to give the hosts the lead heading into halftime when he worked his way behind the Loyola defense but was unable to best a recently substituted Tim Dobrowolski, who rushed out to deny his chipped attempt, ensuring that the game headed to halftime all square.

The second stanza took on a physical tone from the onset, with the two former Horizon League rivals combining for three yellow cards in the 20 minutes following the restart. Chances were few and far between as the half wore on. Lifka nearly put the Maroon & Gold on top in the 60th minute when his headed attempt forced a leaping save out of Campbell. Isaiah Madrid answered back for the Crusaders, finding space on the left flank in the 70th minute as he took aim at the far post, only for Dobrowolski to come up with a diving save to push the ball out to safety, ensuring that overtime would be needed to decide a winner.

As was the case during the second half, defense ruled during the two extra sessions. Loyola dominated possession during the final 20 minutes of play but struggled to break down the Crusader backline. Lifka was presented with a late free kick from a dangerous area inside the final minute but Campbell soared just high enough to collect it to seal the draw.

Loyola will be back in action in the state of Illinois at the end of the week when it takes part in the NIU Adidas Invitational, hosted by Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. The Ramblers will open play on Friday at 4 p.m. against Stetson before wrapping up the weekend with a Sunday 11 a.m. matinee versus Florida Atlantic.