Vasquez’s final-second finish wins it for ten-man VCU

VCU played the final 38 minutes a man down before Esteban Vasquez scored with one second remaining to beat Loyola Chicago 1–0 Saturday at the VCU Athletic Village.

Nikita Hayes delivered the ball toward the top of the six-yard box, where Vasquez finished with one touch at 89:59. It was Vasquez’s first collegiate goal, Hayes’s first point of the season and VCU’s first win at its new venue.

The Rams’ task had become harder when Bya Ndimubandi received a second yellow card at 51:57. Loyola produced ten more shots after his dismissal, but Trevor Maloney kept the game scoreless.

Maloney made three saves, including stops against Jack McFeely at 10:02 and Cohen Havill at 12:29, then denied Grant Bailey at 52:17 shortly after the red card. Earlier, Ndimubandi had forced Loyola goalkeeper Max Ionita into a save in the seventh minute. Jonas Pettersen also put a second-half attempt on target before the dismissal.

Loyola led total shots 20–10 and corners 14–6; shots on goal were level at three. Maloney recorded his first shutout of the season, allowing the Hayes-to-Vasquez connection to decide the game in its final seconds.

VCU improved to 2–7–3 overall and 2–2–1 in Atlantic 10 play, extending its unbeaten run to three matches. The Rams next visit Saint Louis on October 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern.