Missouri State University
Tulsa
Men's Soccer to Play Tulsa in First Road Match of Season
September 02, 2021 | Men's Soccer
SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team is on the road this weekend as the Bears face Tulsa on Friday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. (CT) at Hurricane Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.
| Missouri State Bears (2-0-0) at Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-0-0) | |
| Date | Friday, Sept. 3 | 7 p.m. (CT) |
| Location | Tulsa, Okla. |
| Site | Hurricane Stadium |
| Follow Along | Live Stats Watch |
| Missouri State | Men's Soccer Home Page | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Game Notes |
Match Details
Coming off two home wins against Belmont and Rockhurst, No. 8 Missouri State (2-0-0) will take on Tulsa (2-0-0) Friday night in the Bears' first road match of the season. For all 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
• Jon Koka (Jr., F, Bilbao, Spain) has started his season red hot, leading Missouri State in shots (3), shots on goal (3), and goals (3) in the first two matches of the season. In the last four games he's played in, Koka has tallied five total goals for the Bears including two in a come-behind win over Maryland last season in the NCAA Tournament. Against Belmont in the team's first game of the 2021 season, Koka found the net for the first time of his junior campaign for the tiebreaking goal. Less than a minute later, he scored again to increase MSU's lead and secure the win. Days later, Koka recorded his third goal in two games to solidify his best start as a Bear.
• The returning MVC regular-season and tournament champions started their season 2-0 for the third-straight year with wins over Belmont and Rockhurst late last week. In 2019 and 2020-21, the Bears outscored their oponents 4-0 in the first two matches to start the season, this year, the margin was 7-1 in favor of MSU.
• In the first regular season United Soccer Coaches poll released on August 31, MSU sits in the No. 8 spot. It is the Bears highest week one ranking in 20 years. In 2000, still carrying the name Southwest Missouri State, the men's soccer team was one spot higher sitting at No. 7 after the first week of the regular season.
• After the first week of the regular season the Bears lead the Missouri Valley Conference in goals (7), shots (31) and corner kicks (11). League rival Loyola Chicago is close behind scoring six goals in its first two matches of the season. MSU and Loyola are tied atop the conference.
• Head coach Jon Leamy has now coached eight teams to national rankings, including three teams cracking the top-10 in as many years. Most recently, the Bears were revealed at the No. 8 spot in the United Soccer Coaches poll revealed on Aug. 31. In 2020-21, the team peaked at No. 8 as well, and in 2019, MSU climbed as high as No. 9.
• Dating back to 2016 the Bears boast an overall record of 59-18-13. During that same time period, Missouri State went 22-8-6 in road contests. In the last three years, the Bears have won 32 games, only recording three losses and one tie from 2019-present. The team's first road test this season will be at Tulsa.
Know the Foe
• Tulsa enters Friday night's match with a 2-0 on the season with both wins coming on the road. This will be the Golden Hurricane's home opener at Huricane Stadium where they were unbeaten at during the 2020-21 season.
• The Golden Hurricane is coached by Tom McIntosh who is in his 27th year at the helm of the program. He is only the fourth head men's soccer coach in the school's history and he boasts an overall record of 262-186-54 as it stands in 2021.
Series History
• MSU and Tulsa have a long history that dates back to 1981 when the team's first met in Oklahoma. The long-time foes most recently played in 2019 at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium when the Bears earned a 2-1 win.
• The Golden Hurricane lead the Bears in the all-time series history, with a record of 27-12-2. In the last three meetings between the two team's MSU has gone unbeaten, recording two wins and one tie since 2017.
• Overtime matches have not been uncommon in the series history between the Bears and the Golden Hurricane, with 10 matches out of the 41 played being decided in extra minutes including the last two meetings. In 2018, the double overtime match ended in a draw while the last time the team's met The Bears gritted out a 2-1 victory in overtime.
Bears in the Polls
• In 2021's first regular-season United Soccer Coaches poll released on Aug. 31, the Bears are ranked in the No. 8 spot nationally. The four-spot jump comes after MSU registered wins over Belmont and Rockhurst in the first week of regular-season competition.
• MSU has boasted a top-10 team for three-straight seasons with the Bears' No. 8 ranking revealed on Aug. 31. During the 2020-21 season, Missouri State climbed as high as No. 8 as well, while the 2019 squad peaked at No. 9 in the rankings.
