CHICAGO, Ill. – The Drake University men's soccer team earned a 3-3 draw against Loyola in a back-and-forth, high-scoring match at Loyola Soccer Park in Chicago on Sunday.
 
Leroy Enzugusi scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 21^st minute, and Austin Smythe scored in the 44^th minute and again in the 87^th minute for his third and fourth goals of the year.
 
Luke Anderson was brilliant in net, recording a career-best nine saves, more than doubling his previous mark of four.
 
"Today was a real toe-to-toe Missouri Valley Conference battle between two good teams," said Drake head coach Gareth Smith. "I am frustrated that we are not leaving Chicago with three points because we performed well for a large portion of the game and created a number of good chances."
 
Enzugusi opened the scoring when he sprinted down the left flank and corralled a long advancing pass from Bradan Allen. Enzugusi navigated into the box and neatly tucked away a shot to the far post from a very difficult angle to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Allen tallied an assist on the play.
 
Smythe doubled Drake's lead with a brace just before halftime to cap an incredible sequence. Smythe broke through enemy lines and had a one-on-one opportunity with opposing keeper Marcel Kampman, but Kampman made an impressive diving save to his left.
 
Smythe regained the rebound and dropped it back to Enzugusi, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked by a defender. Smythe again controlled the rebound, but his shot was denied by Kampman on another miraculous save.
 
Refusing to let the opportunity slip away, Smythe once more gained the rebound and powered home a goal to boost Drake to a 2-0 lead heading into half.
 
Loyola showed strong resolve in the second half, scratching and clawing its way back into the game. Billy Hency put the Ramblers on the board in the 78^th minute, and Justin Sukow equalized moments later in the 80^th minute. Hency's goal ricocheted off a Bulldog defender and redirected into the back of the net.
 
"We had an unfortunate moment with the deflection for their first goal which allowed them back into the game," Smith said. "We need to mature and manage the latter stages of the game more effectively by getting pressure on the ball higher up the field earlier."
 
The outlook seemed bleak for the Bulldogs when the Ramblers earned a penalty kick in the 85th minute, giving Aidan Megally his ninth goal of the year and Loyola a 3-2 lead with just five minutes left in regulation.
 
It was the Bulldogs' turn to show their fortitude, and Smythe delivered an equalizer in the 87^th minute, the last goal of four scored in a span of nine minutes and 13 seconds.
 
Kampman charged aggressively off his line but ran out of real estate at the top of the box, and he was forced to attempt to head the ball away in a crowd. He couldn't get much power on the clearance, and Smythe was in the right place at the right time to collect the ball and chip home his second goal of the day to level the game at three.
 
Luke Anderson played valiantly between the posts for the Bulldogs, making numerous diving plays in traffic. He allowed three goals despite facing 24 shots by the Ramblers, 12 of which were on target. Both of those marks shatter the previous high for a Drake opponent. (UNLV uncorked 17 shots total and seven shots on target on Sept. 6.)
 
Anderson made three saves in the overtime periods to preserve the result.
 
Drake's offense put up impressive numbers as well, scoring three goals and unleashing seven shots on target, its second-best output in both categories this season.
 
"I am delighted with the guys' work ethic, commitment, and willingness to battle throughout the game and through overtime," Smith said.
 
Sunday's result is the first tie of the season for the Bulldogs, whose record now stands at 7-7-1.
 
Drake will have 13 days to prepare for its next match, a home fixture against No. 9 Missouri State. Kickoff on Nov. 9 is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tiger Field in West Des Moines.