SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team kicks off its 2021 spring season against Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 3:30 p.m. at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium.
Match Details
Kickoff from Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 27. Admission to all home games is free this season with masks and social distancing required for all spectators. Live stats are available at MissouriStateBears.com.
For all of the latest information and in game updates on the Missouri State men's soccer team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow @MSUBearsMSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
Quick Kicks
- Missouri State is coming off a program-best 18-1-1 record in 2019, highlighted by winning its first-ever NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament match with a 1-0 result against Denver (Nov. 21, 2019).
- MSU won its eighth MVC regular season title in 2019, becoming the first team in league history to go 10-0-0 in conference play. The Bears had the program's first perfect regular season with a 17-0 start and set the record for the most wins in a season with 18. Missouri State strung together a 21-game unbeaten streak carried over from 2018 to break the 20-year old mark set by the 1999 team who went 17-1-3.
- The Bears were unanimously selected to repeat as conference champions in the Valley preseason poll that was released on Feb. 2. MSU received all five first-place votes and were followed by last year's MVC tournament champion, Loyola (19) while Drake (13), Bradley (11) and Evansville (7) rounded out the five-team poll. Michael Creek, Jack Denton, Josh Dolling and Kyle Hiebert were also named to the 11-man preseason All-MVC team that was revealed alongside the poll.
- MSU's roster includes the reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year, Hiebert, and MVC Goalkeeper of the Year, Creek. They joined senior forward Dolling on the 2019 All-MVC first team ballot while Denton (second team), Greg Stratton (honorable mention) and Kian Yari (all-freshman) round out the Bears' six returners who received conference postseason honors last season.
- Dolling and Hiebert were also named to the 2020-21 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy watch list. The Bears duo were selected as United Soccer Coaches All-Americans in 2019.
- MSU is ranked No. 8 in the latest College Soccer News Top 30 poll that was released on Feb. 21.
- Head coach Jon Leamy returns for his 29th season at the helm, boasting a 280-185-66 overall record. He is the winningest MVC coach with 104 career victories in league play. The MSU coaching staff of Leamy, associate head coach/sport director Michael Seabolt and assistant coaches Phil Woods and Will Lukowski, were named the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year last season, marking the sixth time Leamy has earned Valley coaching honors.
Know the Foe
- Bradley (1-0-0) began its 2021 spring season with a 3-2 victory over Eastern Illinois on Feb. 3. In Peoria, Ill. The Braves went 8-7-4 overall while posting a 5-3-2 MVC record and finishing third in the conference standings.
- Returning all-conference selection Gerit Wintermeyer was named to the preseason All-MVC team after scoring nine goals in 2019. His five game-winning goals ranked second in the Valley last season, trailing Dolling who finished with six.
- Jim DeRose is in his 25th season as the head coach for the Braves and owns a 251-191-54 overall record. His 79 league wins ranks second all-time in the Valley behind Leamy's 104.
Series History
- Missouri State leads the all-time series 25-9-4 against Bradley with the Bears winning five straight matches. MSU's rivalry with Bradley (38) is second only to the 41 matches played against Tulsa.
- MSU owns a 13-4-2 record in the series when playing in Springfield and held the Braves scoreless in a 3-0 victory at home last season (Oct. 9, 2019).
- The last meeting between the two teams (Oct. 19, 2019) resulted in a 2-1 win for MSU in Peoria, Ill., after Stratton's game-winning goal in the 81st minute secured the victory.
- Head coach Jon Leamy has been at the helm for 34 of the 38 matches in the series, boasting a 21-9-4 record against the Braves.
