CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team is gearing up to face off against VCU. First touch is set for tomorrow (Oct. 12) in Richmond at 6 p.m. CT. The action will stream live on ESPN+.

KICKING OFF

• Loyola Chicago is searching for its first win in league play as the team stands 1-8-2 overall and 0-3-1 in Atlantic 10 games.
• The Ramblers most recently suffered a 2-1 defeat at No. 13 George Mason this past Wednesday. The match marked the first ever meeting between the two programs.
• The Ramblers held a 1-0 edge for over an hour, but the nationally ranked Patriots scored two unanswered second half goals to claim victory. 
• Hugo Urdiales scored his third career goal in the 19th minute, a beautiful flick, up and over the GMU keeper on a breakaway, to open scoring.
• The Ramblers led in corner kicks, 5-3.
• LUC racked up nine shots with two being on-target. GMU had 15, with five being on-target.
• Urdiales, Benji Chavarria, and Matthew Andrusko led the way with two shots each.
• After its meeting with VCU, Loyola returns home for a two-match homestand against La Salle (Oct. 19) and Olivet Nazarene (Oct. 22).

GLANCE AT VCU

• Head Coach Dave Giffard is in his 15th season at the helm of VCU. He holds a 120-102-49 (.533) record guiding the Rams.
• The Rams' (4-4-3, 1-2-0 A-10) last win came on Sept. 20 in a 2-0 shutout over Rhode Island.  
• VCU is on a two-game skid, having lost back-to-back match-ups against Fordham and Davidson.
• VCU sits No. 11 in the A-10 standings with three league points, two slots above the Ramblers.
• The Rams rank fifth in the league for shots per-game, averaging 13.09. Leading the team, Andrey Salmeron stands ninth in the conference with an individual average of 1.00 shots on-goal per-game.
• Keeper John Ermini's has a goals against average of 1.182 and averages .975 saves per-game, ranking eighth and seventh in the league, respectively.

NOTABLE NUMBERS AND NOTES

• Last season, Loyola Chicago compiled an 8-2-5 overall record and was 4-1-3 in conference play.
• In its third season as part of the Atlantic 10, LUC looks to earn its first conference championship since 2019.
• The Ramblers return 16 student-athletes from the 2023 roster, including nine with starting experience under their belt.
• Along with their returners, the Ramblers added 13 key pieces to the 2024 roster, including 10 freshmen and three transfers.
• The Ramblers remain undefeated when scoring two or more goals, a streak that has been ongoing since Sept. 30, 2017.
• As of Oct. 10, Loyola Chicago has the 19th-toughest schedule in DI men's soccer based on the NCAA's database. LUC's schedule is the third-toughest in the A-10 based off the same database.
• New to the 2024 season, the clock will stop for substitutions during the final 15 minutes if the game is tied or if the leading team makes a substitution. Substitutions are allowed during any stoppage in play. Additionally, teams are now permitted six substitutions per game.

SERIES STUFF VS. VCU

• Having played twice since joining the A-10, Loyola trails in its all-time series with the Rams, 0-1-1.
• The first meeting occurred Oct. 5, 2022, when the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw on VCU's campus.
• Current Rambler Ben Bischof logged his first career goal in draw.
• Oscar Dueso's header in the 87th minute capped a second-half onslaught from the Ramblers, who finished the night with a 31-9 shot advantage.
• In the most recent iteration (Sept. 30, 2023), the Ramblers hosted VCU and fell, 2-1.
• Despite losing, LUC out-shot VCU, 25 (3) – 9 (5).

FOLLOW THE RAMBLERS
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Tickets for Loyola Chicago's home games are on sale now! Adult tickets are priced at $7. Youth (ages 4-14) and faculty/staff tickets are available for $5. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets at a reduced rate of $3 each. These group tickets need to be purchased in advance. You can arrange your group outing by calling 773-508-WOLF. Click here to purchase.