Thursday, April 8
Springfield
2:00 PM
Missouri State University
vs
Loyola Chicago
No. 8 Bears Return Home for Regular-Season Finale Against Loyola
April 07, 2021 | Men's Soccer
SPRINGFIELD – The No. 8 Missouri State men's soccer team (9-0-0, 7-0-0 MVC) looks to polish off a perfect 2020-21 regular season by hosting Loyola (5-3-2, 4-2-1 MVC) on Thursday, April 8 with the regular-season finale kicking off at 2 p.m. at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium.
Match Details
Kickoff from Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium is set for 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. Admission to all home games is free this season with masks and social distancing required for all spectators. Live stats and a live stream (ESPN+) of the match 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
| #8 Missouri State vs. Loyola | |
| Date | Thursday, April 8 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Location | Springfield, Mo. |
| Site | Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium (Free Admission) | 2021 Fan Guide |
| Follow Along | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+) | MSU Game Notes |
| Missouri State | Men's Soccer Home Page | Record Book | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
Match Details
Kickoff from Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium is set for 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. Admission to all home games is free this season with masks and social distancing required for all spectators. Live stats and a live stream (ESPN+) of the match 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
- No. 8 Missouri State (9-0-0, 7-0-0 MVC) scored a pair of second-half goals to come out ahead on a 2-1 result at Central Arkansas in its non-conference finale on Saturday (April 3). Facing their first halftime deficit of the season, the Bears responded quickly in the second half against UCA with Aadne Bruseth knotting things up in the 54th minute while Jack Denton fired in the game-winning goal to secure MSU's ninth straight victory.
- The Bears are one of just four teams in all of Division I men's soccer to hold a perfect record on the season and boast the most wins (9) among the remaining clubs. It marks the second straight year Missouri State has rattled off nine consecutive wins to begin the season after the 2019 squad became the first DI program to post a perfect regular season (16-0-0) since Akron in 2009.
- As the 2020-21 champions, MSU secured the program's ninth overall MVC regular-season crown and its sixth championship in the past 10 years. With the top seed locked up for the 2020-21 MVC Tournament, Missouri State will host the semifinal round match at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium on April 13 at 6 p.m. This season's conference tournament is being played at the site of the higher seeds.
- The MSU attack features a relentless charge in their offensive half, leading the nation in corner kicks per game (9.44) with 85 corner set-pieces in nine matches. Additionally, the Bears have sent a total of 32 shots towards goal in 2021 which ranks 12th nationally on a per-game basis (6.89). Missouri State leads the league in most statistical categories, sitting atop the conference in goals (20), assists (19), shots per game (14.44) and goals against average (.550).
- Nicolo Mulatero (Jr., F, Givoletto, Italy) paces the Bears offense with his six goals and five assists in his junior campaign. He has recorded two multi-goal outings this season with a pair of goals against both Drake (March 22) and Evansville (March 30). The Italian forward leads the MVC in goals (6) and points (17) while his two game-winners and five assists is tied for best in the conference.
- Michael Creek (Sr., GK, St. Louis, Mo.) has started all nine matches in goal, logging 807:59 goalie minutes and allowing just four goals while posting five shutouts this season. His five clean sheets in 2021 - which ranks ninth-best among Division I keepers - gives him 18 for his career to rank fourth on the program's career shutout list. Creek earned MVC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2019 after finishing the season with seven shutouts and a 0.645 goals against average that ranked ninth in the nation.
- Aadne Bruseth (Jr., F, Batnfjordsøra, Norway) scored a goal for the third straight game with his second-half equalizer against UCA on Saturday. The Norwegian forward has put together an incredible four-game stretch that began with a three-assist performance against Drake (March 22) before going on to record a goal in each of the next three games. He added his fifth assist of the year in the win against the Purple Aces on March 30.
- Josh Dolling (Sr., F, Liverpool, England) recorded his first goal of 2021 by capping MSU's four-goal outing at UE with a header in the 86th minute. As a reigning United Soccer Coaches All-American, Dolling has 19 shots on the year with 11 of them coming on target. His 22 career goals is tied for seventh with Heath Melugin (2008-11) on Missouri State's all-time scoring list.
- Missouri State has collected eight of the MVC's weekly awards this year with Mulatero (March 23, March 2), Bruseth (March 30) and Dawson Lee (March 9) earning offensive honors and Connor Langan March 2), Kyle Hiebert (March 16), Greg Stratton (March 23) and Adrian Barosen (March 30) picking up defensive accolades.
- Loyola (5-3-2, 4-2-1 MVC) has won two straight games after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Missouri State on March 26. The Ramblers enter the final regular-season match tied with Drake (4-2-1, 4-2-1 MVC) in the league standings with both teams eyeing an opportunity to host an MVC Tournament semifinal game. The Bulldogs will face Evansville later in the evening on Thursday (April 8) at 6 p.m.
- The Ramblers are led by junior midfielder Billy Hency who is tied for second in the MVC in points (11) with MSU's Aadne Bruseth. Hency was named MVC Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday (April 6), joining teammate Michael Hong who earned Valley Defensive Player of the Week honors. Goalkeeper Simon Jillson has posted two shutouts this season while logging 524:49 minutes in goal.
- Head coach Neil Jones is 71-48-24 in his eighth season at the helm for the Ramblers. He has a 4-6-3 record against Missouri State which includes losses in three of the past four meetings with the Bears.
- Missouri State leads the all-time series 8-4-3 against Loyola, including a 3-1-1 record when playing in Springfield.
- Earlier this year, the Bears won a 2-0 result at Loyola (March 26) to clinch the MVC regular-season championship. Aadne Bruseth and Greg Stratton scored back-to-back goals in the second half and the MSU defense pitched its fifth shutout of 2021 to secure a second straight Valley title for the Bears.
- Head coach, Jon Leamy is 7-4-3 against LUC, going unbeaten in his first five matches against the Ramblers.
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