Tuesday Returns See Valpo, Loyola Headed to Semifinals

Horizon League Men’s Soccer Tournament Results (Nov. 6)
(6) Loyola 4, (3) UIC 3
(4) Valparaiso 1, (5) Milwaukee 0

INDIANAPOLIS – Defending champion Loyola flipped the script on UIC, while Valparaiso made a one-goal lead stand up against Milwaukee, with the Ramblers and Crusaders reaching the semifinals of the Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship.

(6) Loyola 4, (3) UIC 3
UIC battled back to tie the match on two occasions, but No. 6 Loyola scored with eight minutes remaining to grab a 4-3 win over host UIC at Flames Field.

The defending conference champions, Loyola (4-11-2) struggled with its offense for much of the season, but has found the right combinations in the last week, scoring four goals in each of its last two matches.

The Ramblers started quickly against third-seeded UIC (7-8-2), striking two goals in the first 25 minutes of the match. Dane Bergstrom struck first off a feed from Jake Savino, just 12:29 into the evening.

Just under 12 minutes later, Savino, who was voted to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team yesterday, converted a penalty kick to put Loyola ahead, 2-0.

Still, UIC was quick to respond, using the foot of Jesus Torres to answer 18 seconds after Savino’s PK. Torres’ first goal of the year cut the Flames’ deficit to 2-1, and Thomas Villamil knotted the match at 2 with his first goal of the season at the 34:50 mark.

Villamil, who joined Savino on the All-Newcomer Team, bent his shot to the far upper right post, but Loyola would take the lead once more 1:10 after the equalizer.

Nick Sanchez’s second goal of the year sent Loyola into the half with a 3-2 lead, but UIC would rally once more, tying the match at 3-3 on Slobodan Aleksov’s fourth goal of the year. The goal, which came at the 56:29 mark of the match, came as UIC countered a Loyola run. Jorge Alvarez found a streaking Aleksov, who slotted home the goal.

The longest stretch of scoreless play in the night ensued, before Ryan Howe finished off a loose ball from 25 yards out, scoring the game-winner with 8:31 to play.

Despite a furious rally from UIC down the stretch, the Flames could not beat Peter McKeown, who made one key save on an Ivan Stanisavljevic drive before watching four shots clear the woodwork.

With the win, the sixth-seeded Ramblers will play the No. 1 seed Detroit at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 9.

(4) Valparaiso 1, (5) Milwaukee 0
Playing for the second time in just four days, Valparaiso got a goal late in the first half and made it stand up in a 1-0 victory over visiting Milwaukee.

Valparaiso (6-8-5) lost at Milwaukee (8-8-2) on Saturday, forcing the teams to meet again, but this time at Brown Field. Playing in cold, windy and rainy conditions, the match opened with the feel of a low-scoring, tightly-contested affair, and it was the Crusaders who capitalized.

With the clock running down in the first half, Todd Vervynckt sent a cross towards the far post, where Jaymie Bullard rose for an uncontested header with just 22 seconds before the half.

From there, the Valparaiso defense took over, limiting Milwaukee to just four shots in the second half. However, none of the Panthers’ shots forced the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year, Kyle Zobeck, to make a save.

On the night, Zobeck made two saves to record his fifth shutout of the year.

The fourth seed in the Horizon League Tournament, Valparaiso will now meet No. 2 Cleveland State in the semifinals. The match will pit the League’s two top keepers, Zobeck and the Vikings’ Brad Stuver, on opposite ends of the field.