Junior Ryan Anderson scored the game-winning goal with 55 seconds remaining in the first overtime to propel the Missouri State men’s soccer team to a 1-0 Missouri Valley Conference win over Western Kentucky, Saturday night at Plaster Field. Anderson took a Justin Douglass pass and went far post from 13 yards out to give the Bears the victory. Missouri State improves to 8-5-3 overall and 3-1-1 in the MVC, while Western Kentucky falls to 4-7-3 and 0-2-2.

The first half saw a defensive battle in which the Hilltoppers outshot MSU 5-4. After some halftime adjustments, the Bears came out on the offensive in the second half, as they dominated the WKU half of the field and held a 15-2 edge in shots in the half, but could not find the back of the net.

Missouri State missed on two golden scoring opportunities in the half. In the 77th minute, Douglass saw his header attempt hit the crossbar and bounce over the net. Then with less than seven minutes to play in regulation, freshman Ronnie Franklin hit the right post and a WKU defender cleared the ball as it was crossing the goal line.

Anderson saw his shot saved by WKU goalkeeper Pat Rickman in the third minute of overtime and the match appeared to be headed for a second overtime period. But, Anderson found himself alone on a run on the right side and fired a perfectly placed shot to the left post for his second goal of the season and the seventh game-winning goal of his career.

Goalkeeper Lance Parker was again solid between the pipes, recording four saves en route to his seventh shutout of the season, which ties him for third on Missouri State’s single-season charts. Rickman took the loss, recording three saves for the Hilltoppers.

Missouri State will conclude MVC play on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Drake University in a 7 p.m. start.