BALTIMORE — Loyola Maryland men's soccer came out strong against Bucknell, but a pair of first-half goals proved to be the difference as the Greyhounds fell 2-1 Tuesday night at Ridley Athletic Complex.
Loyola (4-10-3, 3-4-2 Patriot League) struck first when senior midfielder Tyler Flynn found the back of the net in the 18th minute. Flynn collected a pass from Nino Venezia and finished for his team-leading eighth goal of the season, giving the Greyhounds an early 1-0 advantage.
Bucknell (8-8-1, 5-3-1) responded in the 33rd minute. Cade Whitmire scored off assists from Jack Bejarano and Hamish Riddell to even the match at 1-1.
The Bison took the lead just before halftime when Jakub Samelko scored in the 43rd minute. Jack Heintz and Mason Lillis were credited with assists on the go-ahead goal, giving Bucknell a 2-1 advantage heading into the break.
Loyola looked to find an equalizer throughout the second half, but faced an additional challenge when defender Chris Ogor received a straight red card in the 56th minute for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Despite playing a man down for the remainder of the contest, the Greyhounds continued to generate offensive opportunities.
Flynn tested Bucknell goalkeeper Thomas Yerbury three times in the second half, while Nick Laffey, Jack Endacott, and Cal Lackner also put shots on target. Yerbury turned aside five shots overall to preserve the Bison victory.
Loyola finished with 10 shots, including five on goal, and earned four corner kicks. The Greyhounds also held their own in possession, with both teams recording 50%.
Goalkeeper Felix Huebner recorded five saves for Loyola, keeping the Greyhounds within striking distance despite Bucknell's 15 shots.
The Greyhounds recorded nine of their 10 shots in the second half, demonstrating their offensive push after the break despite the disadvantage.
Loyola will enter the Patriot League Championships as the sixth seed, and will travel to Lewisburg for a rematch against the Bison at 7:30 PM.
