Men's Soccer Wraps Regular Season with Bradley on Saturday

[JCT]

After a 1-0 loss at SIUE last Saturday, Loyola dropped to #14 in the NSCAA poll, and #16 on the TopDrawerSoccer.com poll. The Ramblers fell from #4 to #8 in the RPI with just one game remaining, but anything in the top 20 should be enough for an auto bid to the 48-team NCAA Tournament.

The regular season and MVC conference schedule ends on Saturday, when the Ramblers face Bradley (2-13-3, 0-6-1 MVC) at Loyola Soccer Park at 7:00 p.m. A win would ensure what I think is the Ramblers' first regular season MVC championship since joining the league, and secure the #1 seed (and a bye into the semifinals) for the MVC soccer tournament beginning November 8 in Springfield, Mo. The game will be on ESPN3 if you can't make it out to the park to THANK OUR NATIONALLY RANKED MEN'S SOCCER TEAM FOR A FANTASTIC SEASON AND WISH THEM WELL IN THE MVC AND NCAA TOURNAMENTS.

[ahunte1]

A win would ensure what I think is the Ramblers' first regular season MVC championship since joining the league

Correct!

[Johhnyfingers]

I will be there tonight to see off a great regular season. It should be a win tonight and an important one to get that bye. Everything Neil Jones has done with the program and with this team has been impressive and I hope we give him a new contract with a raise so that he stays around and continues building.

[JCT]

I will be there tonight to see off a great regular season. It should be a win tonight and an important one to get that bye. Everything Neil Jones has done with the program and with this team has been impressive and I hope we give him a new contract with a raise so that he stays around and continues building.

Agreed. I've said for years that Loyola should be a soccer powerhouse, given the academic and locational advantage of the school... and the fact that BCS schools often ignore the sport.

[Johhnyfingers]

There is enough talent in the Chicagoland area the Midwest to lock up being a consistent top team. Keep recruiting Chicagoland as well as other areas like St.Loius, Minnesota with Shattuck St Mary's add in the staffs foreign connections we could be a top team for sure. Just give them the funding they need and let it develop.

[Johhnyfingers]

When it comes to the game at half we are up 2-0 with 8 shots on goal and really it could easily be more. The game has gotten pretty ugly and the ref lost control of it in the first half. There was a two footed studs up tackle by Bradley that should have been a red but was only given a yellow. Another bad tackle by a Bradley player that caused an injury that The ref some how didn't give a card for.

I'm not sure what Bradley's coach is doing. Bradley is pressing very hard and playing with a high line but the press is so disjointed. They don't press together they don't have any trigger on when to press. and it ruins their team shape and just exposes the back line. They don't have the technical skills we have so I figured they would be better to try and bunker down and hit on the counter. I would expect Bradley to change up in the second half because you can't continue with giving up 8 shots on goal in a half but maybe not maybe they stick with it because they are trying to chase two goals.

[Johhnyfingers]

And we are the regular season MVC champions. Congrats to the team! I am hoping for a conference tournament win and a nice seed in the NCAA tournament.

[swellafelon]

Congrats to the champs! Hope they sweep the conference tourney but even if they lose I figure they should get an at large bid to the NCAAs.

[ahunte1]

Congratulations and go Ramblers!!!