CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Loyola Soccer Park tomorrow (Sept. 21) as it plays host to Dayton in its Atlantic 10 opener. 

PROMOTION
Join us for Family Weekend at Loyola! Enjoy a free shuttle service to Hoyne Field for the Ramblers' A-10 opener. The shuttle will pick up fans from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. and return from 4:45 to 5:00 p.m. Pickup and dropoff will take place at the Fr. Damen statue on campus.

The first 150 students to enter Loyola Soccer Park on gameday will receive a FREE Rambler bucket hat!

KICKING OFF

• Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT with the action streaming live on ESPN+. Scott Sudikoff (PXP) and Loyola Hall of Famer, Jack Cannon (commentary), will call the game.
• Loyola Chicago is 1-1 in A-10 openers since joining the league.
• Loyola stands 1-4-1 thus far in 2024, having played just one home match.
• After finishing second in the 2023 league standings, LUC was picked to finish fourth in this year's Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Maroon and Gold received two first-place votes in the poll.
• Goalkeeper Aidan Crawford, who was named the A-10 Goalkeeper of the Year in 2023, landed on Preseason All-Conference Team. He's the sole keeper on the A-10's preseason team.

GLANCE AT DAYTON

• Head Coach Dennis Currier is in his 20th season at the helm of Dayton men's soccer. He holds a 184-121-59 record with the Flyers.
• Dayton owns a 4-1-1 overall record as Saturday's matchup marks their conference opener as well.
• The Flyers most impressive win thus far was a 2-0 shutout over Indiana on the road. The Hoosiers made it to the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Most recently though, Dayton drew with No. 9 Western Michigan, 1-1, in a neutral site showdown at Historic Crew Stadium.
• Dayton's only defeat came as a surprising 3-0 shutout at the hands of Jacksonville, a team from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
• Dayton leads the A-10 in shots (120) and is second in scoring average (2.50) and goals (15).

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 boast an undefeated streak of 116 matches when scoring two or more goals, a record that dates to September 30, 2017.
• Luka Ivancic and Nicholas Roe, two newcomers, have started all of Loyola's matches thus far.
• According to the NCAA, Loyola Chicago has the 9th-toughest schedule in DI men's soccer with a .679 percentage. LUC's schedule is currently most difficult in the A-10.
• Aidan Crawford has faced 75 shots thus far in the season. Last year, he faced 107 total. The keeper has averaged 3.17 saves per game, ranking ninth in the league. His 19 total saves rank seventh.
• 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. DAYTON

• Loyola trails in its all-time series with Dayton, which dates to 1987, 2-5-3.
• The Ramblers' last win over the Flyers came in 2014 - a 2-0 shutout inside Loyola Soccer Park.
• The two squads met twice last season. In the first meeting, the Maroon and Gold scored three unanswered goals to draw with the Flyers in Dayton.
• A total of 38 shots were sent off between the two teams.
• The second meeting was in the quarterfinal round of the A-10 Tournament at Hoyne Field. With the match even at 2-2, the squads battled through two 10-minute overtime periods before PKs were needed to determine a winner. In heartbreaking fashion, Loyola slipped, 5-4, in penalties.

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.