CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team is preparing to face off against No. 13 George Mason for the first time in program history. First touch is set for tomorrow (Oct. 9) in Fairfax at 6 p.m. CT. The action will stream live on ESPN+.

KCIKING OFF

• Loyola Chicago is searching for its first win in league play as the team stands 1-7-2 overall and 0-2-1 in Atlantic 10 games.
• The Ramblers most recently fell, 1-0, to Rhode Island at home this past Saturday. The match was scoreless until URI broke through in the 77th minute.
• Despite losing, the Ramblers dominated in shots, racking up a season-high 23 with seven landing on-target.
• LUC's defensive line, which featured graduate student Michael Hong for the first time since Sept. 17 (illness), limited Rhody to just four shots with two being on-goal.
• Grant Bailey tallied a new career-high four shots while Julian Cisneros, Ben Bischof, and Daniel Firs tallied three shots each – all season-highs.
• Additionally, Arved von Vegesack (two) and David Siemionko (one) notched new career-bests in shot attempts.
• The Maroon and Gold also led, 10-1, in corner kicks.
• Following its test at GMU, the Ramblers stay on the road for a matchup at VCU Saturday, Oct. 12.

GLANCE AT GEORGE MASON

• Head Coach Rich Costanzo is in his third year guiding GMU. He holds a 16-19-5 record after tallying two and five wins, respectively, in his initial two seasons in Fairfax.
• The Patriots rank No. 1 in the A-10 standings and No. 13 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Top-25 poll. 
• George Mason rides a four-match win streak into Wednesday's match-up. The team's sole blemish is a 1-0 loss to Old Dominion on Sept. 15.
• Merek Gonda ranks fourth in the A-10 in goals per game (.667), third in points per game (1.56), and third in game-winning goals (.333).
• Gonda raked in A-10 co-offensive Player of the Week accolades for scoring two goals in GMU's win over La Salle this past Saturday.
• In the win, La Salle out-shot the Patriots, 17-13, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on-goal.

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. 8, Loyola Chicago has the 31st-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. GEORGE MASON

• Wednesday will be the first meeting between the two programs.

FOLLOW THE RAMBLERS
Fans can receive the most up-to-date information by following @RamblersMSOC on X and Instagram.

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.