In Short…
Loyola registers 26 shots, nine of them on goal in a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Drake in the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference opener.
 
Coach Jones' Thoughts
"The second half and the first period of overtime had really good intensity and effort. However, the first half was poor," head coach Neil Jones said. "That was partly due to Drake. I thought they came out flying – full credit to them. They were good in the first half and put us in a tough situation, obviously getting the goal, and gave us some big problems. In the second half, we were much better with the energy, the effort and the intensity, and we managed to find a goal and grind out a point."
 
How It Happened
The night's first chance came in the ninth minute when Tucker Stephenson whipped a nice long ball to Marius Kullmann to the left of the box. Kullmann fed it to Alec Lasinski, resulting in the match's first shot attempt. Approximately 30 seconds later, Stephenson registered the first shot on goal with a point-blank chance from 23 yards out.
 
Drake drew first blood in the 24^th minute when Leroy Enzugusi pounced on a semi-breakaway and beat Josh Lagudah to the far post with a shot from about 18 yards out. The goal snapped Lagudah's scoreless streak at 312:53.
 
In the 36^th minute, Lasinski notched his third shot of the half, and his first shot on goal in a fast-paced sequence that saw two Grade-A chances for the Ann Arbor, Mich. native inside the box. Lasinski's nine shots on Saturday night marked a new season best for the senior forward.
 
An Aidan Megally blocked shot and a Stephenson corner kick went down as the last two official offensive plays of the half.
 
In the 50th minute, Fabian Lifka opened the second half with a free kick from about 27 yards out near the far post for his lone shot on goal of the night. The play prompted Loyola's first of seven corner kick of the half.
 
The Ramblers smothered the Bulldogs with shots and chances in the second half, ultimately posting 10 shots, with two of them on goal in the final 45. The constant pressure paid off in the 82^nd minute when Oskar Gustafsson put one home after a wild scramble in front of the net.
 
The Ramblers nearly took the lead in the 83^rd minute when Lasinski made his presence felt again with back-to-back shots – this time his attempt sequences getting blocked and sailing high.
 
The Ramblers had one more golden chance in regulation off the foot of Tucker Stephenson. The Overland Park, Kan. native had a last-second shot that hit the crossbar.
 
-The Ramblers controlled the tempo of the first overtime period, outshooting the Bulldogs 5-0 in the first extra stanza. Megally and Lasinski registered headers, with Lasinski's going on goal. Billy Hency hit the stat sheet with a shot that went wide left, and Fabian Becerra pitched in two shot attempts as well in the extra frame.
 
In a more evenly matched second overtime, the Bulldogs posted two shots on goals to Loyola's one, but none of the three found the back of the net and the MVC opener ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
A Look At The Numbers
-Loyola's 26 shots is the highest total this season, and the 10 in the second half marked the most recorded in a frame in 2018.
-The Ramblers got shot attempts from nine different players, highlighted by Alec Lasinski's nine to lead all participating players.
-Oskar Gustafsson's goal makes five Ramblers who have found the back of the net this season, two of which are now freshmen.
-Tucker Stephenson notched season-highs in shots (5) and shots on goal (3) in Saturday's tie against the Bulldogs.
 
Up Next
The Ramblers complete the Chicago-Triangle on Tuesday (Sept. 25) against the UIC Flames. The road match is set for 7 p.m., the second consecutive Tuesday road match against an opponent from Chicago.