The 19th-ranked Missouri State men's soccer team (12-3-2, 7-1-1) will face the Evansville Purple Aces (11-7-1, 5-4-1) in the semifinal round of the MVC Tournament on Friday, November 13.  Kickoff at Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines, Iowa, is set for 3:30 p.m.  With a win over Evansville, the Bears would advance to the championship match to face the winner of Friday's Creighton-Drake semifinal match.

The Opponents - Missouri State defeated Evansville, 1-0, in both matches this season.  Johannes Demarzi scored an unassisted goal in the match at Evansville.  He assisted on Jordan Hoffman's goal in the Bears' victory at Plaster Field.  

Missouri State went undefeated in the matches against its prospective championship opponents as well.  The Bears downed Drake, 2-1, in Des Moines, on goals by Johannes Demarzi and Ryan Hennessy.  Missouri State defeated the Bulldogs 3-2, in overtime, in Springfield with Edin Sabic, Ben Griffiths and Gerard Barbero each scoring a goal.  

Missouri State was able to muster the only goal in the season series with the Bluejays in a 1-0 win in Omaha as Jordan Hoffman tallied the game-winning goal.  The teams played to a scoreless draw in Springfield in October.

The Series - The Bears own a 10-7-3 record all-time against the Purple Aces.  Missouri State holds a three game shutout streak over Evansville with two 1-0 wins this season and a 2-0 shutout in 2008.  The last time the teams matched up in the MVC Tournament, the Purple Aces prevailed on penalty kicks, 4-3, in 2007.

By virtue of the Bears' two victories this season, the series history with the Bulldogs is all square at 10-10-3.  Missouri State defeated Drake in the semifinal round of the 2008 MVC Tournament on penalties, 4-1.

Creighton holds the all-time series lead over Missouri State, 19-7-4.  The Bears have a three-game unbeaten streak against the Bluejays during the regular season, but Creighton prevailed, 1-0, in last year's MVC Championship match.

In the MVC Tournament - Missouri State is 10-12-3 all-time in the MVC Tournament.  This season is the Bears' 15th consecutive appearance in the MVC Tournament.  The Bears have advanced to the finals four times (1997, 1998, 1999, 2008), winning the tournament in 1999.

National Rankings - Missouri State is ranked No. 19 in this week's NSCAA National Rankings.  It is the third consecutive week the Bears have received a top-25 nod.  Missouri State is also ranked in the Soccer America rankings (No. 19) and College Soccer News rankings (No. 23).

Coach Jon Leamy - Missouri State head coach Jon Leamy (Roanoke College, 1982) is 187-128-33 in his 18th season leading the Bears.  Leamy was named MVC Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 1999.  He led the Bears to NCAA appearances in 1997 and 1999 and received Midwest Region Coach of the Year both seasons.

Live Stats - Live stats will be provided by the host school and will be available at www.missouristatebears.com. Go to the "Fan Central" link on the left side of the page and select "Live Stats."

Video - Video coverage of the Bears semifinal match with Evansville can be viewed through MVC Live, a video streaming package available at www.mvc.org.  Sunday's championship match can be seen on MediaCom Channel 22 in Springfield and on Fox Sports in other Midwest areas.  Check local listings for availability.

Quick Kicks - The Bears seven game winning streak is the longest to end the regular season in team history.  Missouri State carried a five-game winning streak into the MVC Tournament in 2002 and ended 1997 with a six-game
streak headed to the conference tournament.

- Senior defender Johannes Demarzi has 10 assists this season, the most in the Missouri Valley Conference.  He currently ranks fifth in the country in assists and eighth in assists per game.  Only three other players in Missouri State history have recorded more assists in one season, Jim Thwing in 1989 (14), Doug Lascody in 2004 (13) and Matt Caution in 1997 (11).

- Demarzi leads the team in points (16) and assists (10) for the second straight season.  He is the only Bear in school history to lead the team in both categories in back-to-back seasons.

- Demarzi has either scored or assisted on 13 of the Bears 26 goals scored this season.  He has contributed to more offensive goals than the team has allowed this season.

- Missouri State's defense has only allowed 12 goals on the season.  That is the lowest season total in school history.  The previous record was 14, set in 1998.

- Missouri State has defeated two ranked opponents on the road this season for the first time in school history.  The Bears won at No. 6 Creighton, 1-0, on Sept. 19 and at No. 19 Drake, 2-1, on Oct. 17.  Missouri State has beaten two ranked opponents in one season before, but never have both wins occurred on the road.  Wins against two ranked opponents in one season occurred in 1997 (at #20 Tulsa, vs. #11 Creighton), 1998 (at #12 SMU, vs. #22 Bradley), 2000 (vs. #12 Washington, vs. #8 Creighton), 2002 (at #23 Tulsa, vs. #23 Bradley) and 2003 (vs. #6 SMU, at #19 Creighton).

- Heath Melugin and Paul Paradise each had a two-goal outing this season.  The last time two Bears scored two goals in a game in the same season was 2006 when Danny May and Will Ziegahn each had a two goal game.

- Melugin has had a two-goal game in back-to-back seasons, the first Bear since Danny May in 2005 and 2006.

- Alex Riggs has eight shutouts and has only allowed 12 goals against, the second-best single season numbers in school history.  His 0.69 goals against average is the third-best season total and his 12 wins are the fourth-most in a season by a keeper.

- Riggs ranks 25th in the nation with his 0.69 goals against average.  His .824 save percentage is tied for 32nd in the country.

- Kyle Windmueller and Gerard Barbero have scored one goal apiece this season.  Windmueller's was the game-winner over Oral Roberts (Oct. 14) and Barbero's won the game for the Bears in overtime against Drake (Nov. 1).

- Jordan Hoffman, Heath Melugin and Paul Paradise have each tallied two game-winning goals this season.  Melugin also had two game-winners last season bringing his total to four in his career.

- The Bears senior defenders Johannes Demarzi, Ryan Hennessy and Nick Dryden have played together in every match of 2008 and 2009.  Dryden missed two games in 2007 or the three would have patrolled the backline together for three consecutive seasons.