Men’s Soccer Brings Northwestern to Last Minute Draw

The Loyola Men’s soccer team finished in a 1-1 draw against Northwestern Aug. 29. First-year forward Antonio Pinto and Wildcat graduate midfielder Joe Suchecki scored the only goals of the game. 

The match started with an offside call against Loyola, followed by a shot from Northwestern third-year midfielder Tyler Glassberg, which second-year defender Danier Firs blocked. 

Northwestern was awarded a corner in the third minute, but the shot was headed over the goal by Firs. An offside call against the Wildcats and a foul on third-year midfielder Baraka Tarleton didn’t stop their momentum. They were awarded another corner, which was headed out again by a Rambler. 

A foul on first-year Wildcat defender Andrew Johnson led to Loyola gaining possession, but the ball was quickly taken back by a Wildcat. Following another offsides call in the 11th minute, first-year forward Aaron O’Reilly followed with two shots. One hit the right post and went out of bounds, and the second veered to the right of the goal. 

In the 16th minute, first-year midfielder and defender Joaquin Rodriguez was given a yellow card for abrupt head-to-head contact with a Northwestern player. Fourth-year Wildcat defender Nigel Prince took the penalty kick, which landed toward the left side of the goal and was caught by third-year goalkeeper Gabe Velasco. 

One minute later, two shots were taken by fourth-year forward Hugo Urdiales and third-year forward Petar Janjic. Urdiales’ shot was scooped up by fourth-year goalkeeper Rafael Ponce De Leon while Janjic’s sailed left of the net. 

A shot by Johnson followed three fouls called on Sucheki, Firs and Northwestern first-year midfielder Evrit Fisher. In the 25th minute, Sucheki received a yellow card for unsporting after a slide tackle on Firs. Off the free kick, Pinto took a shot to the bottom left of the goal that was saved by Ponce De Leon. 

The Ramblers’ first corner kick was awarded in the 33rd minute, which was headed just left of the goal by second-year defender Nicholas Roe. 

Back-to-back shots by O’Reilly and fourth-year Wildcat forward Alejandro Martinez Santamaria both went to the right of the net. A Loyola defender headed out a Northwestern corner in the 38th minute. Loyola closed the half with a shot by fourth-year forward Angel Mendez, which veered to the side, ending the first half in a 0-0 draw. 

Head coach Steve Bode said Northwestern was a team the Ramblers had to adjust to throughout the first half. 

“I was really impressed with Northwestern, especially in the first half,” Bode said. “The speed and intensity they were playing at was putting us under pressure, and I think it just took us some time to adjust to that.”

Northwestern started the second half with a shot by fourth-year midfielder Jayvin Van Deventer, which Velasco saved. Wildcats redshirt third-year Jason Gajadhar received a cross from the corner kick, but Firs knocked it out of the way.

Consecutive fouls on Prince and O’Reilly led to shots by Ivancic and fourth-year midfielder Ben Bischof, both of which were batted out by Ponce De Leon. Velasco added a save of his own off a shot from second-year forward Tre Barrett. 

In the 55th minute, the tie was broken when Martinez Santamaria dribbled down the field and found Suchecki, who buried it in the top right corner of the net, bringing Northwestern a 1-0 lead. 

A yellow card was given to Firs in the 56th minute for a low-slide tackle against Suchecki. Offside and foul calls on Loyola resulted in a corner for Northwestern, and the ball was headed into the net by Fisher, An offside call against the Wildcats negated the goal. 

Gajadhar, fourth-year midfielder Doug Hainer and third-year midfielder Peter Riesz all received fouls in the 72nd minute, allowing Pinto a chance at a goal, but the shot went wide to the right of the net. Back-to-back corners for Loyola in the 77th minute resulted in another shot by Pinto, which was blocked by a Northwestern defender.

In the 80th minute, fouls were called on Glassberg and Firs. A throw-in by Loyola gave third-year midfielder Jack McFeely the ball, whose pass was headed into the net by Pinto, bringing the score to a 1-1 draw. 

Pinto said he was waiting the whole game for a chance at a goal and an opportunity to change the game, making sure to keep an eye on any ball in the scoring zone. 

“I got a couple shots that didn’t fall in the net, and then I was just sitting in the box, waiting for the ball,” Pinto said. “Words can’t explain how excited I am when the team’s running with me after I score.”

The Ramblers continue their season at Hoyne Field against Wright State Sept. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.