SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team (8-5-2, 3-2-1 MVC) will continue conference play, and conclude home competition, when Evansville (8-7-2, 3-2-1 MVC) travels to Allison South Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 29). The match between the Bears and the Purple Aces is set to kick off at 7 p.m.
 
Match Information:
Missouri State Bears vs. Evansville Purple Aces, 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29
Salute to America's Heroes Night
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Site: Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium (1,000)
Live Stats
 
Series History
Missouri State is 17-9-3 all-time against Evansville, and have come out on top in the last four meetings. The Bears traveled to Evansville, Ind. for the first leg in the home-and-home series with the Purple Aces to open the month of October. In the 82^nd minute of play, freshman Mitch Langton scored his first collegiate goal to lift MSU over Evansville for its first league road victory.
 
Quick Kicks

• Beginning this season, the MVC schedule will increase to eight matches from six, as each school will play a second match against two league opponents in addition to the round-robin schedule. Missouri State will begin this rotational home-and-home series with Evansville and Central Arkansas.
• The Bears are 14-1-5 all-time at Allison South Stadium, allowing just six goals in the 20 matches played at the home facility. MSU's lone loss came to Tulsa in 2014, when the Bears fell to the Golden Hurricane, 1-0. This season, Missouri State has grabbed shutout victories at home over Green Bay (2-0), UMKC (1-0), Eastern Illinois (3-0) and Central Arkansas (1-0), while tying Oral Roberts (1-1) and Drake (1-1) and giving up a goal against Bradley (2-1).
• Missouri State, SIU Edwardsville and Evansville are in a battle for second in the league standings. The Cougars played to a double-overtime scoreless draw at Central Arkansas on Wednesday (Oct. 26) to collect their 11^th league point, while MSU and Evansville have 10 points apiece. Five of the seven Valley teams have two league matches remaining in the regular season, while two teams – Drake and Bradley – have one remaining.
• Both Jack Griffin and Jake Buckle netted their first goals of the season in Tuesday's 2-1 double-overtime thriller at Oral Roberts. Buckle's goal in the 108^th minute helped the Bears finish the non-conference slate with a victory for the first time since 2011. Eleven different student-athletes have now scored for Missouri State.

 
Scouting the Opponent
The Evansville Purple Aces enter Saturday's match with an overall record of 8-7-2 and an identical league record as the Bears (3-2-1). After falling to MSU on Oct. 1, Evansville went on to lose its next two at No. 15 Kentucky (3-1) and Central Arkansas (2-0). The Purple Aces tied Loyola, 1-1, becoming the only Valley school to draw with the ranked Ramblers, who are undefeated in the MVC this season. Most recently, Evansville fell to Lipscomb (2-1) to finish its non-conference schedule.
 
Follow the Bears
For more information on the Missouri State men's soccer team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow the Bears on Twitter (@MSUBearsMSoccer).