Aug. 31, 2007

The Loyola men's soccer team opened up the 2007 season against the Cincinnati Bearcats Friday night at Loyola Soccer Park. LUC (1-0-0) defeated the Bearcats (0-1-0) by a score of 4-2 in an exciting contest that saw a handful of action, including a hat trick by Loyola's Michael Ferguson.

The Ramblers jumped ahead of the `Cats early when Ferguson grabbed a rebound from three yards out and notched it in for the first goal of the season. The sophomore from Overland Park, Kansas led the Maroon and Gold with three goals on the night and helped Loyola overcome a 2-1 first-half deficit.

In the 72nd minute of action, Ferguson was perfectly placed just in front of the backstop, when he nudged a header in off of a failed clearance for the third and final goal of the night. Ferguson's hat trick was the first by a Rambler since Nico Tricoci's scored three goals in a 3-2 victory over Michigan at Loyola Soccer Park on September 8, 2000.

Three of Loyola's four goals were scored by Ferguson, while the other was notched by sophomore Eric Gehrig on a penalty kick in the first period, that tied the game at 2-2.

The Bearcats' Kenny Anaba notched both goals for Cincinnati in the first half of action. Anaba's goals came within minutes of each other. The first came on a 10-yard shot at the 21-minute mark, while the other got past Loyola keeper Brian Byrne at 23:10.

Next up for the Ramblers is a match against the Jacksonville Dolphins at Loyola Soccer Park on Sunday, September 1 at 1:00 p.m.