Box Score | Season Stats
 
SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team (7-3-1, 3-0 MVC) continued its win streak at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 8), winning its third-consecutive match with a 1-0 victory over Central Arkansas (2-7-1, 0-3 MVC).
 
"We defended well in the first half and battled through to the end," commented head coach Jon leamy. "It always feels nice to get a shutout and it is a goal of ours to keep our opponents off the board. We're getting better and we will continue to get stronger as the season progresses."
 
MSU pushed the ball to start the match, as Mikey Lightbourne fired the first shot for either team, three minutes into the game. The senior would take two more in the first half, aiding in MSU's 8-3 shot advantage going into the locker room.
 
Central Arkansas broke through MSU's defense in the 58^th minute of the match, forcing MSU goalkeeper, Liam Priestley to make his first of two saves of the night. The second would come in the 73^rd minute of the match on UCA's final attempt to get on the board.
 
In the 78^th minute of the match, three shots would be taken in a matter of six seconds by MSU before finding the back of the net.
 
Stuart Wilkin was the first for MSU, gently tapping the ball behind him, as UCA's goalkeeper, Marc Olson, batted the ball away, into the feet of Jake Buckle. Three yard out from the goal, Buckle tried to punch in a shot from the left side, but one of UCA's defenders made the team save on the line. The defender deflected the ball into the feet of MSU's Tyler Swanner, who snuck it past Olson into the back of the net. The goal by Swanner is the 12^th of the season by Missouri State and the first for the senior in 2016.
 
The Bears' shutout victory is the second this week after MSU topped Eastern Illinois, 3-0, on Wednesday (Oct. 5). Priestley leads the league in goals against average (0.53), tallying over 1,000 minutes in the net for MSU so far this season. The last time Missouri State went undefeated in its first three conference matches was in 2013, when the Bears secured wins over Loyola (2-0), Drake (2-0) and Evansville (1-0).
 
Missouri State will continue league play at SIU Edwardsville on Tuesday (Oct. 11). Kick off between the Bears and the Cougars is set for 7 p.m. at Korte Stadium.