DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – The Duhawks were handed their first loss of the season at home Sunday against University of St. Thomas. The Tommies defeated the Duhawks 2-1 with goals coming in the 4' and 55', while Loras' lone tally came in the 71' from junior Jorge Simon. The Duhawks outshot the Tommies 24-3 but St. Thomas' goalkeeper Mitchell Wolff stopped all five shots that were directed on target.

The Tommies started the game with the kick at center field and used that momentum to attack the Duhawks right from the whistle. In the 4', St. Thomas earned a free kick that led to their first goal of the day. The service was sent into the box where it slipped through the hands of senior goalkeeper Sean Elvert and found the head of Matt Bouche at the back post who sent it to the back of the net, shocking the Duhawks with the early deficit.

The goal lit a fire under the Duhawks as they tried repeatedly to even the score. Throughout most of the first half, the Duhawks struggled to direct their shots on frame, often times sending them wide or high of frame.

In the 21', Alex Bradley stepped to the penalty spot to face Wolf after a Tommies' handball in the box. Bradley's shot hit the post and rebounded out into the box but was cleared out by the defense before any Duhawk could find it.

Three minutes later, Bradley stepped over the ball again on a free kick in the middle of the field from 30 yards out. The service bent up and over the five-man wall, but Wolff had help from the crossbar to keep St. Thomas in front.

For the remainder of the first half, the Duhawks kept sending the ball forward to try and find the goal but were unsuccessful despite taking 10 shots and earning five corner kicks in the first half. Matt Brant served up a number of long throws into the box that went unanswered thanks to the strong back line of the Tommies.

In the second half, the story was much the same for the Duhawk offense. Despite spending the majority of the half in the offensive third, they struggled to take shots on frame. In the 56', Loras earned themselves a corner kick, one of their 12 on the day. The Tommies once again cleared the loose ball away from danger and broke free on a counter. With Loras pressing for a goal, it left their defense exposed to which St. Thomas capitalized as Miles Stockman-Willis slid his pass to Pierce Erickson who doubled the Tommies' lead.
 
With the likelihood of an upset in the Rock Bowl becoming more of a reality, Loras caught a break in the 71' when the Tommies were whistled for another handball in the box. This time, Simon stepped to the mark and sent his offering just left of center. Wolff made the save but couldn't control the rebound. Remaining alert, Simon quickly pounced on the loose ball and sent it home to cut the deficit in half.
 
The goal gave the Duhawks hope but the Tommies settled into the back focusing all their efforts on keeping Loras from finding the back of the net for a second time. In the 79', Head Coach Dan Rothert adjusted his formation to put four forwards up top. Even with the extra presence in the attacking third, Loras was unable to equalize falling for the first time in the Rock Bowl since 2011.
 
The Duhawks will welcome the quiet week ahead as they prepare for their road trip to Minnesota. They'll play St. Olaf on Saturday and Saint John's on Sunday, mimicking a typical weekend in the NCAA Tournament. St. Olaf is 2-0 on the season and finished third in the MIAC in 2013. Saint John's is 3-1 on the season and finished fourth in the MIAC in 2013.
 
While Sunday's loss doesn't bode well for Loras' chances of becoming the No. 1 team in the nation, they have plenty of season left to build from it and grow as a squad.