Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stream | Live Stats

CHICAGO (November 8, 2018) - The No. 2 seed Loyola men's soccer team (9-6-2, 3-1-2 MVC) is set to take on the No. 6 seed, Drake, in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The two teams meet for the second time in 2018 with a berth in the tournament championship on the line. First kick is scheduled for 3 p.m. at McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind. 

Last Time Out: Loyola wrapped up the regular season on the first of the month at No. 23 Washington. Despite notching two grade-a shots in the last four minutes, the Ramblers dropped the contest, 2-0. Goalkeeper Josh Lagudah picked up three saves for his sixth multi-save performance of the season, and pushed his season total to 32. The Ramblers finished the regular season at a 1-2-0 clip against teams ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25.

A Look at the Bulldogs: Steven Enna's double-OT golden goal lifted Drake in an upset win over the No. 3 seed Valparaiso on Wednesday (Nov. 7). The Bulldogs' Leroy Enzugusi scored first in the 4th minute of his team's opening postseason match, giving them four players who have logged points on the scoresheet one match into the MVC Tournament. Enzugusi now has eight goals and 17 points this season, and is joined by teammates Cole Poppen and Enna in the double-digit point club this season. With the win last time out, goalkeeper Jared Brown improved his record to 7-6-3 and lowered his season goals against average to 0.94. Thanks to its victory last time out, the magical bounce-back season continues for the Bulldogs - as they advance to the MVC Championship semifinal for the first time since 2015. The midway mark through the decade was also the last time Drake captured an MVC Tournament championship.

Series Stuff: The two teams faced each other back in September in Rogers Park as a part of Loyola's Alumni Night. The stingy play of both teams created a 1-1 draw, but didn't prevent Loyola from hanging a season-high 26 shots, while Oskar Gustafsson netted his first collegiate goal. Loyola enters the 2018 rematch on a six-game unbeaten streak in the series history between the two conference foes. Friday will be the second ever meeting in the MVC Tournament, and the first since 2014 when the Ramblers downed the Bulldogs, 3-1. In previous regular season contests, the two teams fought to a 0-0 stalemate in 2017, while Loyola swept the season series the year before that, posting shutouts in both victories.

Up Next: A win on Friday would secure a spot in the championship on Sunday (Nov. 11). Should the Ramblers emerge victorious on Friday, they would face the winner of the No. 1 vs. No. 4 side of the semifinal bracket: No. 1 seed Central Arkansas or No. Missouri State for the right to keep playing into the NCAA Tournament. 

#OnwardLU