Sept. 28, 2015
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SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State men's soccer team (3-2-2) travels to Omaha, Neb. to face No. 1 ranked Creighton (8-0) Tuesday (Sept. 29) at 7 p.m. for its third match against a nationally-ranked opponent this season.
Creighton sits atop the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division I poll after an unblemished start this season. The Blue Jays lead the NCAA in shots per game (19.88) and shots on goal per game (9.13).
The Bears are on a two-game win streak, including a 2-1 win over No. 18 Loyola Marymount on Sept. 20. Freshman Jake Buckle had five shot attempts in the match and scored both goals, becoming the first Bear since 2013 (Jack Roberts) to score twice in a match. MSU continued its streak Saturday (Sept. 26) in the conference opener against SIU Edwardsville, as MSU's Jack Griffin was able to send a header through the net with two seconds remaining in overtime to give MSU the 1-0 win over the Cougars.
On the defensive side, MSU goalkeeper Liam Priestley heads into Tuesday's match with four shutouts on his resume so far this season. The sophomore has 15 saves, 688 minutes, and three wins to add to his four shutouts. MSU is 10th in the nation for goals against average (0.52) and tied for 13th in shutout percentage (0.57). The Bears currently lead the MVC in goals against average (0.52) and fewest goals allowed (4).
Missouri State has played one No. 1 ranked team in its soccer history. In 2001, MSU faced SMU and fell 1-0 in a hard-fought battle. In the team's most-recent effort against a top-10 club, MSU was able to defeat No. 4 ranked Creighton, 1-0, in 2011. Creighton, a former Missouri Valley Conference rival before the Blue Jays moved to the Big East Conference, lead the all-time series by a 21-8-4 margin.
The Bears (1-0, MVC) are currently tied for first place in the MVC with Bradley and Drake. MSU will face Drake Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa to continue conference play. The Bears head home Tuesday, Oct. 6 to face Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m.
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