SPRINGFIELD – No. 8 Missouri State men's soccer fell for the first time in 2021, dropping a 2-0 result to Loyola here Thursday afternoon in the regular-season finale.
 
The Bears, who were looking to run the regular-season table for the second straight year, saw their nine-game winning streak snapped and suffered its first regular-season setback since Nov. 3, 2018 when Central Arkansas defeated MSU, 1-0.
 
MSU (9-1-0, 7-1-0 MVC) was also held scoreless for the first time since that 2018 match against UCA with the Ramblers limiting the Bears to a season-low eight shots.
 
Loyola (6-3-2, 5-2-1 MVC) scored a goal in each half, capitalizing on two unfortunate plays from the MSU defense to steal a victory from the red-hot hosts.
 
In the 14th minute, Ramblers midfielder Billy Hency dispossessed a ball from the Bears backline just inside the 18-yard box and curled a one-touch shot past a diving Michael Creek to give Loyola an early 1-0 lead.
 
Then, in the second half, a ricocheted clearance turned disaster for Missouri State as an initial shot from Hency was blocked in front of the net, but the ball bounced right to the leg of Loyola's Andrew Schweinert who knocked in the rebound for a bang-bang goal that provided the visitors all the insurance it would need in the final Missouri Valley Conference regular-season match for both sides.
 
The Bears seemed to be in their usual position of keeping the defense on its heels in the first half by earning five corner kicks.  One of the set-pieces provided a scoring chance for captain Kyle Hiebert who sent a header towards goal that was kicked away by a well-positioned Ramblers defender guarding the far post.
 
For the second straight game, Missouri State found itself trailing at halftime, but was poised to mount a similar response to its 2-1 comeback win at UCA on Saturday (April 3). 
 
Just under the midway point of the second period, Aadne Bruseth registered shots on back-to-back possessions trying to extend the three-game scoring streak he carried into the contest.  However, both strikes by the junior forward were blocked by the Loyola defense.
 
A late surge from a Bears squad that earned three more corner kicks in the waning minutes fell short as well before the final whistle sounded and allowed the Ramblers to play spoiler to MSU's perfect season.
 
Bruseth, Adrian Barosen, and Kian Yari each had two shots in the match for an MSU attack that came into today's contest averaging a league-high 14.44 shots per game.
 
The Bears close the books on another stellar regular season that saw them clinch the Valley regular-season title and rattle off nine straight wins for the second straight year.
 
With the top seed locked up, Missouri State will host an MVC Tournament semifinal-round match on Tuesday, April 13 with kickoff from Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium set for 6 p.m.