CHICAGO (SEPTEMBER 13, 2022)

In Short
Posting its fourth clean sheet of the season, Loyola University Chicago defeated IUPUI 2-0 at Loyola Soccer Park on Tuesday night. Seniors Oscar Dueso and Jason Ybarra netted their first goals of the season, as the Ramblers (4-0-2) remain unbeaten heading into conference play this weekend.

Head Coach Steve Bode's Thoughts...
"Even though tonight wasn't our top performance, we found a way to get the job done. Credit to IUPUI for making it difficult on us tonight, I thought they were well organized. As a coaching staff, we were happy to see some new guys really step up with assists and goals. Two goals and another shutout was fantastic to see. Now we switch our focus to A-10 play and prepare to play on the road against an undefeated Duquesne team."

How it Happened
After a slow start, Loyola broke through with the game-winner right before halftime with Dueso's header in the 44th minute. Sophomore Brody Phan delivered the cross deep into the box and Dueso timed it perfectly, redirecting the ball from close range.

Loyola fended off a feisty IUPUI (1-2-3) squad for most of the opening stanza as the two teams entered the halftime break even in shots, 3-3.

Goalkeeper Simon Jillson's lone save of the night was registered in the 35th minute off a shot attempt from IUPUI's Lukas Hackaa. However, the Ramblers had some decent opportunities and held a 4-0 edge in corner kicks over the first 45 minutes of action. Fabian Becerra took the first shot of the night for Loyola in the 19th minute, while Billy Hency had a good look in the 30th minute.

Then, all the momentum shifted in Loyola's favor.

The Ramblers outshot the Jaguars 7-1 during the second half and put three of those shots on target. Hency got things rolling with his second shot attempt of the night against his former high school teammate, IUPUI goalkeeper Lucas Morefield.

Andrew Schweinert's shot in the 74th minute forced another save, and that was quickly followed up within minutes by scoring chances for John Gates and Dueso, who just barely missed his second header goal of the night after it bounced off the crossbar.

Pressure kept building in the Ramblers' attacking third as Ybarra found success in the 79th minute. The Des Plaines native gathered a deflection off Hency's cross near the top of the box and sent a laser into the back of the net.

Loyola now holds the all-time series lead over IUPUI, 2-1-1.

Inside The Numbers

• Loyola captured its fourth straight home victory and improved its impressive ledger of 25-6-4 (.771) in home matches since 2018
• Tonight's match is the first result of the season where Loyola posted a shutout and scored more than one goal
• Phan, who made his third appearance of the season, was credited with his first career assist
• Dueso scored his seventh career goal and the first game-winner in his 31st appearance
• For Ybarra, it was his first career goal in his 43rd appearance at Loyola. The senior was also credited with an assist on the first goal of the night (2nd of career)
• Jillson improved to 4-0-2 in net, raising his save percentage to .846 with 11 total stops. He also logged his fourth shutout, which is a new single-season career high for Jillson
• Hency added to this team-leading point total (9) with his third assist and 20th of his career
• The Ramblers are outscoring opponents 10-2 through six games, with all 10 goals scored on their home field
• Loyola outshot IUPUI by a final margin of 10-4. It's the fifth time in six matches that the Ramblers tallied a shot advantage against their opponent
• The Jaguars were whistled for 20 fouls while the Ramblers had just eight
• 20 different Loyola players made an appearance in the midweek tilt

Up Next
Loyola travels to Pittsburgh this weekend for the program's first-ever Atlantic 10 Conference match which pits the Ramblers against Duquesne. The Dukes are 5-0-1 after playing to a 1-1 draw at Wright State on Tuesday night.