Valley Release
 
ST. LOUIS – After recording three of the Bears' five goals this past week, Missouri State forward Matthew Bentley was named Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.
 
Bentley, who leads the league in goals (12) and points (27), extended his recent multi-game scoring streak to seven games.  He has scored 10 of his 12 goals on the season during the seven-game scoring binge.
 
The senior from London registered his third two-goal performance this season in the Bears' 3-2 comeback win over Valparaiso on Wednesday (Oct. 30), including the game-winner to cap three unanswered points by MSU.
 
It took all of 14 seconds for Bentley to tack on another game to his scoring stretch in MSU's 2-1 win over Loyola on Sunday (Nov. 3) as he rebounded a Stuart Wilkin shot to give him his 12th goal of the season.  By scoring at the 0:14 mark, he recorded the fastest goal from the start of a game since an eight-second Cal State Northridge goal on Aug. 26, 2016.  
 
With the 12 goals in 2019, Bentley ranks 11th in the nation in total goals while dishing out three assists to rank 16th in total points.  In his first season at MSU, Bentley has etched himself into the history book, tallying the program's most goals in a season since Ryan Anderson scored 15 goals in his 2005 campaign.
 
He becomes the eighth Bear to earn weekly conference honors this season as he joins teammates Jack Denton (Defensive, Week 2), Kyle Hiebert (Defensive, Week 3), Josh Dolling (Offensive, Week 3), Stuart Wilkin (Offensive, Week 4), Ben Stroud (Defensive, Week 5), Michael Creek (Defensive, Week 6), and Greg Stratton (Defensive, Week 7).   
 
For the third straight week, MSU earns a top-10 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll as the Bears drop back one spot to No. 10 in the top-25 rankings that were released earlier today.  With a 15-0 record, the Bears are the only team in Division I men's soccer to boast a perfect record while posting the best start to a season since Akron opened its 2009 campaign with 23 straight wins.
 
The undefeated Missouri State squad (15-0, 9-0 MVC) looks to close out a perfect regular season at Drake (7-7-1, 4-4-1 MVC) on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m.