The Missouri State men’s soccer team advanced to the Championship of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The Bears defeated the second-seeded Drake University Bulldogs 4-1 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie in double overtime on Friday, Nov. 14 at Goebel Soccer Complex in Evansville, Ind.

 

The Bears will face the top-seeded and second-ranked Creighton Bluejays in the championship round.  Top-seeded Creighton is in the MVC tournament finals for 14th time with a 13-1-2 record on the season and finished 4-0-1 in MVC play. The lone blemish came at the hands of the Bears in a 0-0 tie in double overtime at home on Oct. 21 in regular season conference play.  Alex Riggs recorded a career high 12 saves and his second shutout of a second-ranked team this season.  The Bears defense was the story of the night as they stood tall against constant pressure from the Bluejays’ attackers who recorded a 21-6 shot advantage.

 

The Bluejays lead the series 18-6-3 all-time and have defeated the Bears in both of their previous meetings in the Championship game of the MVC tournament. The Bluejays are led offensively by, conference player of the year, senior forward Andrei Gotsmanov with nine goals and two assists on the season. Defensively Creighton is anchored by all-Missouri Valley Conference freshman, goalkeeper Brian Holt who is ranked seventh in the nation with an average of .49 goals against in 15 games. Holt has shutout three top 25 opponents this season.

 

The Bears will depend on their own all-Missouri Valley Conference goalkeeper Alex Riggs to hold the Creighton offense in check as the Bears go for their second Missouri Valley Conference tournament title.

 

The game will be on Sunday (Nov. 16) at Black Beauty Stadium in Evansville, Ind. at 1 p.m.  The game will be televised on Fox Sports Network-Midwest.  Live stats can be accessed on missouristatebears.com.