Dayton Defeats Men’s Soccer in Season Finale

Loyola men’s soccer suffered a season ending loss against the University of Dayton after the Flyers scored early to secure a 1-0 win. The Ramblers finished the 2025 season with a record of 4-5-7 while the Flyers earned the number three seed heading into the Atlantic 10 championship.

Dayton took an early lead two minutes into the first half when second-year Flyer forward Andrew Armstrong gained possession and sprinted down the pitch to cross to Dayton’s third-year midfielder Martin Bakken, who drove the ball into the top left, taking the score to 1-0.

The Ramblers were awarded their first corner but failed to capitalize on the advantage. The following 10 minutes produced minimal action with both teams trading fouls and struggling for possession.

Late in the 12th minute, redshirt third-year goalkeeper Aidan Crawford made his first save after Dayton’s first-year forward Maxim Scordo shot to the bottom right. Seconds later, the Flyers were awarded consecutive corners but weren’t able to generate offensive opportunities.

Loyola found their first chance at the net in the 15th minute with second-year midfielder and forward Benji Chavarria at the helm, but the shot fell off target. Three minutes later, Chavarria was then yellow-carded — the first of four in the match.

Redshirt fourth-year forward Ethan Sassine broke through Loyola’s defense in the 21st minute, but his shot fell out to the right. A minute later, the Flyers received their first and only yellow card, issued to Dayton’s first-year midfielder Kingsford Acheampong. 

The following seven minutes exemplified the physicality of the match as six fouls were shared between the teams — 29 total were issued by the end of the match — and Loyola was given their second yellow card of the half to third-year forward Petar Janjic.

In the 31st minute, fourth-year defender TJ Cairney held the ball and took his chance up at the net, but overshot. The Flyers responded five minutes later as second-year defender Dren Dobruna sent a hard drive to the top left where it swiftly met Crawford’s hands.

With less than 10 minutes left in the first half, Dayton had three more offensive attempts and three more fouls issued.

The first shot fell wide from Dayton’s third-year forward Felix Buabeng while the second was sent into the bottom center by third-year Flyer forward Cooper Lijewski, but Crawford was able to tally his third save of the half. The final attempt was sent into the goal by third-year Flyer midfielder Braden Seel, but after VAR review, referees decided it didn’t count.  

Seconds into the second half, the Flyers held possession of the ball, and Buabeng found his way up to the net but shot out on the top right. A minute later, second-year forward Arved Von Vegesack had his first offensive chance but overshot as the ball went out on top.

After two fouls given to Bakken and Loyola’s second-year midfielder David Siemionko, the Flyers had consecutive shots on goal, only a minute apart. The failed attempts were delivered by Armstrong and Bakken in the 49th and 51st minute.

The Flyers had three more chances at the goal in the following 13 minutes while they held the Ramblers at bay. Seel sent a drive over the top of the woodwork, Armstrong’s ball fell off target and Bakken shot wide left.

After Buabeng was fouled in the 67th minute, the Ramblers took advantage of their repossession as third-year midfielder Jack McFeely tried shooting for the goal, but his shot was blocked by Dayton’s defense.

By the 77th minute, three more fouls were given — two to Loyola and one to Dayton — and the Flyers were awarded a corner but failed to capitalize off of it. Both teams tried again for the net. Chavarria sent his shot out on the left while Buabeng shot over the top right.

Following a corner for the Flyers in the 79th minute, Lijewski broke through Loyola’s backline and sent the ball to the bottom right, but Crawford prevented its entrance, making his fourth save of the game and final save of the season.

In the next three minutes, Dayton received two more corners but were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. Buabeng also tried once again to score inside the post, but the ball fell away from the mark.

The Ramblers were only able to generate one more offensive opportunity in the final five minutes of the match as third-year defender Grant Bailey sent a last minute attempt but overshot, and it landed off target. 

In the same minute, McFeely was issued a yellow card while the Flyers held the ball, and Dobruna sent his final shot over the top of the crossbar.

In their final game of the season, the Ramblers had six shots to Dayton’s 16, and Crawford tallied four saves to the Flyers’ fourth-year goalkeeper Gavin Krenecki’s zero.

“Tonight was a very tight conference game,” head coach Steve Bode said. “Credit to Dayton for getting an early goal and making us chase the game. I thought our response was very good — we went right back at them and created some chances of our own. In the end, we couldn’t capitalize to secure a result. I’m very proud of our seniors and the perseverance they showed all season long.”