Missouri State University
Central Arkansas
Men’s Soccer to Host Undefeated UCA
September 07, 2021 | Men's Soccer
SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's soccer team returns home this week when the Bears face the University of Central Arkansas on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. (CT) at Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Mo.
| Missouri State Bears (2-1-0) vs. Central Arkansas Bears (4-0-0) | |
| Date | Wednesday, Sept. 8 | 7 p.m. (CT) |
| Location | Springfield, Mo. |
| Site | Bobby & Betty Allison Stadium |
| Follow Along | Live Stats Watch |
| Missouri State | Men's Soccer Home Page | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
Match Details
The Bears (2-1-0) will host the University of Central Arkansas (4-0-0) on Wednesday at 7 p.m and the game will broadcast on ESPN3. 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
• Three Bears are in the top-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference for assists this week. Junior Kian Yari, senior Josh Dolling and junior Javier Martin-Gil along with Drake's Louis Yuill are tied for third place in the conference after the first two weeks of the regular season. All three MSU players hold an average of .667 with two assists apiece after three games played.
• Bears' forward Jon Koka has started his junior campaign red hot. Not only does he lead Missouri State shots on goal (4) and goals (3), but he leads the conference in goals and is tied for second in shots on goal. In the last five 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.
• Missouri State has the MVC's top single-game efforts for assists given and shots taken. Both conference highs were achieved on Aug. 29, when the Bears hosted Rockhurst, and beat the Hawks 4-0. MSU tallied six assists and 20 shots during the shutout win.
• Dating back to 2016, the Bears boast an overall record of 59-19-13. During that same time period, Missouri State went 32-7-4 in home contests. In the last three years, the Bears have won 32 games, only recording four losses and one tie from 2019-present. • Seniors Josh Dolling and Kyle Hiebert have garnered several preseason honors at the start of the 2021 season. For the second-straight year, both Dolling and Hiebert were named Preseason All-Americans by College Soccer News, with Hiebert earning first-team honors and Dolling landing on the second team. Days later, the Bears' veterans were announced as part of the field of 44 players named to the MAC Hermann Watch list, the most prestigious award that an NCAA Division I soccer player can receive. The pair also made the list in 2020-21, with Hiebert being named as one of the 15 semifinalists
Series History
• UCA and MSU's history dates back to 2006. Since then, the two team's have played each other at least once a year, and multiple times during the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons.
• MSU has won the last two meetings during the 2019 and 2020-21 seasons. Most recently, Missouri State beat Central Arkansas 2-1.
Bears From Abroad
• The men's soccer team features a diverse group of men with players coming from all over the world to play for MSU. A total of 23 of the team's 25 players are international, while two are from the United States.
• The largest number of Bears' players are from England, with eight members of the roster coming to Springfield from the United Kingdom.
Take a Look Ahead
• After hosting Central Arkansas on Wednesday night, Missouri State will play a second consecutive match in Springfield when it takes on Eastern Illinois on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. CT. Admission is free to all at Missouri State home soccer matches.
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