SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team (2-2) will host Oral Roberts (3-3) in the first of a home-and-home series with the Golden Eagles on Saturday (Sept. 17) at 7 p.m. to kick off a three-game homestand for the Bears.
 
Match Information:
Missouri State Bears vs. Oral Roberts, 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Sites: Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium (1,000)
Live Stats
 
Series History
Missouri State has never lost at home against Oral Roberts (11-0-4), holding the all-time record of 14-5-5 against the Golden Eagles. The four ties at home have been scoreless draws between the two clubs. This will be the fourth-consecutive season that the two programs have scheduled a home-and-home series against each other. Last season, the Bears and Golden Eagles played to a double-overtime, scoreless draw at Allison South before traveling to Tulsa, Okla. and playing to a 2-2 draw in double-overtime. The two goals for Missouri State were scored by Jake Laird and Conor Ingram.
 
Quick Kicks

• Missouri State men's soccer team has lost just a single game at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium, posting an overall record of 9-1-3 at the home facility. The team's only loss at Allison South Stadium came against Tulsa in 2014 where the Bears fell to the Golden Hurricane, 1-0. The Bears opened the 2016 season with a 2-0 victory over Green Bay at home.
• The Bears are currently second in the Missouri Valley Conference in goals allowed (3) behind the undefeated Loyola Ramblers. MSU goalkeeper Liam Priestley has a goals against average of 0.75, which places him third in the league among goalkeepers. Priestley also ranks second among fellow Valley keepers in shutouts per game, with two of the Bears' four games played resulting in a shutout.
• The Bears traveled to the Grange and Ashwill Invitational in New Mexico this past weekend, where Missouri State dropped the first match to Grand Canyon (1-0) before defeating CSU Bakersfield in overtime on an own goal by the Roadrunners. Seniors Jack Griffin and Mike Lightbourne were named to the all-tournament team for their performances over the weekend.
• Sophomore Conor Ingram continued to play aggressive for the Bears offensively last weekend, tallying five of his team-high nine shots at the Grange and Ashwill Invitational. Ingram broke into the Valley's top-10 season leaderboard in shots and shots per game, averaging 2.25 shots per match.

 
Scouting the Opponent
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles have a combined record of 3-3 on the year after opening the season with a pair of wins in Texas against Incarnate Word (2-0) and Michigan State (2-0). The Golden Eagles then went on a three-game losing streak that included road losses at Gonzaga (1-0) and Washington (4-2) and ORU's home opener against Incarnate Word (5-2). Most recently, the Golden Eagles topped Houston Baptist at home, 1-0, in overtime with a goal scored by Baptiste Vandeputte in the 93^rd minute of the match.
 
Follow the Bears
For more information on the Missouri State men's soccer team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow the Bears on Twitter (@MSUBearsMSoccer).