SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team (4-3-1, 1-0 MVC) will continue conference play at Evansville (6-3-1, 2-0 MVC) on Saturday (Oct. 1). The match between the Bears and the Purple Aces is set to kick off at 6 p.m.
 
Match Information:
Missouri State Bears at Evansville Purple Aces, 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1
Location: Evansville, Ind.
Sites: Arad McCutchan Stadium (2,500)
Live Stats | The Valley On ESPN3
 
Series History
Missouri State is 16-9-3 all-time against Evansville, and 4-1 over the last five meetings. The last time that the Bears fell to the Purple Aces during the regular season in Evansville was in 2006, dropping the match, 1-0. Last season, Missouri State topped Evansville, 4-2, at Arad McCutchan Stadium. Jake Buckle, James Routledge and alum James Thomas tallied goals, while Mikey Lightbourne scored the game-winning goal for the Bears. Prior to this match, the last time MSU scored four goals in a single game was against Centenary in 2009.
 
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 have taken 10 or more shots in six of the team's eight matches so far this season. Missouri State has already registered 21 more shots than this time last year, tallying 98 through eight games played. Each member of the Bears' squad that has seen the pitch this season has taken a shot. Emmerich Hoegg leads Missouri State with 17 shots and is currently fifth in the league in the category.
• Missouri State goalkeeper, Liam Priestley, is currently second in the MVC in goals against average (0.73) and save percentage (.750) behind league powerhouse Loyola. The junior has allowed just six goals this season, with four of them being on the road or at neutral sites.
• Head coach Jon Leamy has had winning seasons in all but five of his 24 seasons at the helm of MSU's men's soccer program. To date, Leamy is the all-time leader in conference wins with 86.

 
Scouting the Opponent
The Evansville Purple Aces enter Saturday's match undefeated at home (3-0-1) and the MVC (2-0), posting an overall record of 6-3-1. Evansville fell to Xavier (3-1) to start the season before capturing its first victory of the season over Northern Kentucky (2-0). The Purple Aces went 3-1-1 over their next five games, topping Fairleigh Dickinson (1-0), Fort Wayne (3-1) and conference foe Bradley (2-0). Evansville traveled to No. 10 Butler, falling to the Bulldogs, 3-1, but have won its last two matches over Central Arkansas (1-0) and Marshall (2-1).
 
Follow the Bears
For more information on the Missouri State men's soccer team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow the Bears on Twitter (@MSUBearsMSoccer).