The Men’s Bulldog Soccer team traveled to Chicago over the weekend to engage in their first Missouri Valley Conference game of the season. The Bulldogs entered the contest with the record of 4-3, but yet to play a conference game. Loyola game in right under Drake at 3-3, but was riding on a two-game win streak.
The Bulldogs however, have been playing better than 4-3 so far this season. They have beaten: #9 Butler, #20 UIC and #23 Tulsa. This is the part that gets confusing. Although the Bulldogs have defeated teams such as the three ranked ones, they have fallen to teams like Oral Roberts and UMKC.
The first goal of the game came from sophomore forward, Leroy Enzugusi in the twenty-third minute of play, putting the Bulldogs up 1-0. This marks Enzugusi’s third goal of the season. The game went back and forth exchanging shots, but nothing made it in goal where it counted. Through the first period junior keeper, Jared Brown, was perfect not letting in any Loyola shots.
Late in the second period in the eighty-first minute of play, first-year defenseman, Oskar Gustafsson, scored his first goal of the season to tie the Ramblers 1-1 with the Bulldogs. Throughout the game, the Ramblers outshot the Bulldogs on offense. At the end of the second period, the Bulldogs only put up 8 shots, whereas the Ramblers more than doubled that at 17 shots.
Within the first three minutes of the third period, the Ramblers had already put up 3 shots, while the Bulldogs were busy on defense trying not to give up a score. At 97:43, redshirt-sophomore midfielder/defenseman Nate Seaberg, was given Drake’s first yellow card of the game. Seaberg was removed from the game and junior defenseman Scott Misselhorn checked in for the first time of the night.
Substitutions and shots went back and forth throughout the third period, but both offenses always seemed to be stopped by better defensive play. At the end of the third period, the score was still 1-1.
At 9:23 p.m. the fourth period and minute 100:00 commenced. Drake started out the fourth period with two fouls at 100:30 and at 103:15. Responding to the two fouls on Drake Loyola came back with one of their own in the 104th minute, to where Drake received their third foul of the fourth period in a matter of four minutes.
Following the foul battle between the two teams, Gustafsson attempted a header for the Ramblers, but DU keeper Jared Brown wasn’t letting it in on his watch. At 105:58, redshirt-sophomore forward, Steven Enna headed his own ball to win the game for the Bulldogs, but the shot was blocked by the Loyola keeper.
The game continued with shots by both teams, but the game reached an anti-climactic end, resulting in a tie. At the end of two overtime periods, the first MVC game did not end how any player or fan would have hoped.
The Bulldogs have added their first tie of the season and improved to 4-3-1. They now look to defeat Western Illinois (2-4-2) tonight at home. The Leathernecks have so far this season: tied UIC 1-1 and tied Valparaiso 0-0. The game starts at 7 p.m. so show up and help the Bulldogs improve to 5-3-1.
