Loyola box score

Valparaiso and Loyola played a scoreless first half Sunday night in Chicago, Ill., but the Ramblers pulled ahead with a goal in the 57^th minute and eventually went on to a 2-0 victory.

“I thought we got some good chances tonight, played some good balls, but just couldn’t get the end result of a goal,” said Crusader head coach Mike Avery.  “You have to give Loyola credit, they won the physical battles tonight.”

Loyola held a 9-3 shots advantage in the first half, and owned the best scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes as well.  The Ramblers’ Keum Sung Kim ricocheted a shot off the cross bar in the 20^th minute that bounced straight back down, where it was covered up by Crusader goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck (Coralville, Iowa/Iowa City West).  Zobeck also made three saves in the opening half, including a nice stop in the 42^nd minute on a shot by Kim.

Loyola got on the board early in the second half on a goal by Alex Jones.  Jones headed a ball past Zobeck from close range after a cross from Kim from the left side to give the Ramblers a 1-0 advantage.

Valpo had its best scoring opportunity of the game a few minutes later. Senior forward Oscar Lomeli (Jalisco, Mexico/ [Bethel (Ind.)]) carried possession down the right sideline all the way to the end line and found his way past a Loyola defender for a cross into the box.  Junior midfielder J.J. Del Castillo (Mexico City, Mexico/Seaholm [Gardner-Webb]) was waiting about 12 yards out on the left side, but his shot went high of the frame.

Loyola closed out the scoring in the 73^rd minute when Josh Westberg found Eric Gehrig in the middle of the field 20 yards from the goal.  Gehrig sent a low shot skipping along the ground that found its way inside the left post to make it 2-0 Ramblers.

Loyola (7-2-1, 3-1-0 Horizon) out-shot the Crusaders by an 18-11 margin and put six shots on goal versus two for Valpo.  Zobeck stopped four shots, while his counterpart Brian Byrne made two saves.  Paul Leitelt (Munster, Ind./Munster) led the Crusader attack with six shot attempts.

Valparaiso (4-6-2, 0-3-1 Horizon) continues its three-match road trip Saturday evening in Cleveland, Ohio as the Crusaders take on the Vikings of Cleveland State.  Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT.