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Bradley BRAD (8-7-4)
2
Winner Loyola Chicago LUC (11-4-3)
Bradley BRAD
(8-7-4)
1
Final
2
Loyola Chicago LUC
(11-4-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Bradley BRAD 1 0 1
Loyola Chicago LUC 1 1 2
Jha'Lon Johnson battles for ball at MVC Tournament
Missouri Valley Conference

Host Loyola Chicago Ends Bradley Soccer Season

No. 2 seed and tourney host Loyola Chicago rallied for a 2-1 win against Bradley in the semifinals of the MVC Men's Soccer Championship Friday

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Game Recap: Soccer | | Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications
CHICAGO, IL – Bradley got the benefit of fortunate bounce to take the early lead, but got few breaks the rest of the game as tournament host and second-seeded Loyola Chicago (11-4-3) rallied for a 2-1 win against the third-seeded Braves (8-7-4) in the second semifinal of the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Championship Friday evening at Loyola Soccer Park.
 
The Loyola Chicago win sets up a tournament final featuring the top two seeds as undefeated #9 Missouri State (17-0-0) advanced to Sunday's championship game with a 1-0 victory against No. 4 seed Drake (8-8-1) in Friday's first semifinal.
 
After Bradley and Loyola Chicago played to a pair of scoreless draws during the regular season, both teams got on the board in the first half in non-traditional ways.  The Braves struck first in the 15th minute when forward Jack Lang dribbled into the penalty area from the right flank and looked to feed teammate Gerit Wintermeyer.  Lang's pass, deflected off a Loyola defender's foot, however, and was re-directed into the goal for a 1-0 Bradley advantage at 14:18.
 
The Ramblers pulled even in the 27th minute on a controversial penalty kick.  Loyola's service from the center of the park was swerving away from a Ramblers forward and Bradley defender Jack Douglas, who were running side-by-side from the right flank.  The players appeared to inadvertently tangle feet with no chance of catching up to the ball, but with both players tumbling to the field, the PK was awarded.  Valley Player of the Year Aidan Megally calmly deposited the equalizer inside the left post for a 1-1 score at 26:11.
 
The Ramblers kept up the pressure to the start the second half and broke through with the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute when Justin Sukow slotted a shot inside the left post past Braves keeper Nathan Wisbey.
 
Already trailing, 2-1, Bradley was forced to try and rally while playing with a man down after Lang was red-carded at 62:28 following a video review of a foul in front of the Ramblers bench.
 
It appeared the Braves might have earned a penalty kick of their own later in the half when David Kovacevic raced across the top of the penalty area to pressure Loyola keeper Marcel Kampman, who was caught off guard by the attack.  Kampman went to the ground to play the ball away and appeared to clip Kovacevic as he jumped over the keeper, but play continued with no call.
 
Unable to find the tying goal, Bradley's season-best three-game winning streak came to an end Friday.  The Braves had been 7-3-1 in their previous 11 games, which featured a battle with Loyola Chicago and Drake for the No. 2 seed and its first-round tournament bye.
 
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Players Mentioned

David Kovacevic

#26 David Kovacevic

D
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Jack Lang

#14 Jack Lang

D
5' 11"
Senior
Gerit Wintermeyer

#9 Gerit Wintermeyer

F
6' 3"
Junior
Nathan Wisbey

#27 Nathan Wisbey

GK
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Jack Douglas

#25 Jack Douglas

D
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

David Kovacevic

#26 David Kovacevic

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
D
Jack Lang

#14 Jack Lang

5' 11"
Senior
D
Gerit Wintermeyer

#9 Gerit Wintermeyer

6' 3"
Junior
F
Nathan Wisbey

#27 Nathan Wisbey

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
GK
Jack Douglas

#25 Jack Douglas

6' 2"
Freshman
D