PEORIA, Ill. - For the first time in Bradley Soccer history, the Braves (14-5-2) have earned consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.  Bradley will host Loyola-Chicago (7-11-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Shea Stadium in a rematch of a regular-season game the Braves won, 2-1, Sept. 18.

Tickets for Thursday's game will be $6 for adults and $3 for youth (k-12) at the Shea Stadium box office Thursday.  Bradley students will receive free admission by showing valid identification at the ticket windows.

Bradley is making its sixth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the Braves are 2-5-1 in their previous five appearances.  Bradley is hosting a first-round game for the fifth time in its six appearances and the Braves are 1-3-0 in their previous NCAA Tournament home games.  The last time the Braves played a NCAA Tournament game at home, Bradley beat another Chicago-area team, DePaul, 2-0 to start its magical run to the 2007 Elite Eight.

Loyola earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Horizon League Tournament.  The Ramblers are 4-0-1 in their last five games, including a penalty kick shootout win against the Horizon's top seed and tourney host, Valparaiso.

Bradley is 9-3-0 all-time against Loyola, including 5-1-0 at home.  In this season's first meeting against the Ramblers, freshman Desmond Campbell came off the bench to provide the game-winner in the 78th minute for his first career goal.  Senior forward Bryan Gaul gave the Braves a 1-0 lead in the 53rd minute, before Loyola answered in the 60th minute on a Kyle Spoo header.