CHICAGO (Nov. 6, 2021)
 
In Short…
The Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team (9-5-1, 6-3-1) was back at Loyola Soccer Park this evening as the Ramblers took on No. 11 Missouri State (14-1, 10-0) in the final Missouri Valley Conference regular season match of the season. Although the game was scoreless heading into the half, the Bears came out strong in the second, which helped them win the match 2-1 over the Ramblers. 
 
Prior to tonight's contest, the team celebrated its five seniors Tomas Dias, Ethan Stoneman, Marcel Kampman, Tyler Biggs and Giann Magno, who dedicated their collegiate soccer careers to the program. During their time with the team, they helped Loyola win an MVC Championship and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. 
 
Head Coach Neil Jones Thoughts…
"Missouri State challenged us in the first half, and we had to make some changes at halftime. I thought we played much better in the second half. Unfortunately, we gave up two goals at the end and we just couldn't quite get back. We really made a game of it. Now, we look to the Missouri Valley tournament on Friday and go from there."
 
"It's always an emotional night saying goodbye to some incredible characters, incredible human beings and incredible guys who put their everything into this program. Some guys have been here longer than others, but they all put in the same amount of effort and buy-in into this program, which means a lot to me, their teammates and alumni. We can't thank those guys enough. It's going to be sad to see them go." 
 
What Happened…
During the first half of the match, the game remained scoreless. The ball spent a great deal of time in the Ramblers' defensive end, however, with phenomenal plays from defenders Lukas Ender, Andrew Mitchell and Michael Hong, Loyola was able to keep the Bears off the board. The Ramblers also had some opportunities of their own before the half ended, but the efforts were stopped by Missouri State's goalkeeper as both teams headed to the locker rooms tied at 0-0. 
 
The second half started the scoring for both teams in this game. The Bears opened it up with a goal in the 48th minute to make the score 1-0 shortly after returning to the pitch. Less than 10 minutes later, the Bears scored again, resulting in a 2-0 lead for Missouri State with 35 minutes left to play. 
 
This momentum didn't stop the Ramblers. The Maroon & Gold earned a penalty kick after the Bears followed John Gates in the box, and this kick was taken by none other than Billy Hency. The senior beat out the Bears' keeper to the top right corner, putting Loyola on the board and making the score 2-1. 
 
The Ramblers made valiant efforts throughout the remainder of the game, with multiple headers from Fabian Becerra that just went past the goal posts, and a phenomenal offensive attempt in the final minute of the game. However, Loyola was unable to earn another goal, which resulted in a 2-1 loss to nationally-ranked Missouri State. 
 
Looking At The Numbers…

• Hency scored the team's lone goal of the night, giving him nine goals and 27 points on the season. 
• Becerra was one of the biggest offensive threats for the Ramblers tonight as he registered four shots, one of which was on goal.
• Gates also had a chance to find the back of the net as he recorded a shot on goal.
• Biggs and Ender also made offensive efforts during tonight's match as they each attempted a shot. 

 
Up Next…
The Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team will take the rest of the week to prepare as for the MVC Tournament hosted by Missouri State. The Ramblers earned a bye in the first round of the tournament, heading straight to the semifinal round. They will play the winner of No. 3 SIUE and No. 6 Bradley, which will be determined in Tuesday's quarterfinal match. Check back at loyolaramblers.com for more information about the tournament.