SPRINGFIELD – The top-seeded Missouri State men's soccer team will play No. 3-seeded Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship match here Sunday at 1 p.m.
Match Details
The Bears (11-1-4, 6-0-2 MVC) will host Evansville (8-4-6, 3-2-3 MVC) at Allison South Stadium at 1 p.m. 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.
Promotions
MSU Traditions council will provide 100 free tickets for students!
Quick Kicks
• The Bears' clinch of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title was the team's fourth in four years.
• MSU has been undefeated in conference play for three out of the past four seasons.
• The Bears defense, led by goalkeeper Harry Townsend, lead the nation in shutout percentage recording 11 clean sheets over 16 matches (0.688).
• Since 2017, MSU leads the nation in overall winning percentage with a 76-
13-14 overall record (.806). The mark is higher than New Hampshire, Georgetown, Indiana and Wake Forest.
• With a 11-1-4 record through 16 matches, MSU is tied for 6th in the NCAA in overall winning percentage (.812).
• MSU's conference record is 30-1-2 dating back to 2019.
• Thursday's 2-0 win over Bradley was the Bears' 11th shutout of the season, equaling the program record most recently set in 2017.
• The Bears have only lost three regular-season matches over 57 games (51-3-4).
• Missouri State is making its 13th trip to the MVC title match (3-8-1 in previous 12 trips). It is also the Bears fourth-straight appearance, including sixth appearances in the last seven years.
• This is the third-straight year MSU has served as the top seed and host of the semifinals and finals of the MVC tournament. The Bears earned conference tournament titles in both of the previous years (Spring 2021, 2021).
• The Bears RPI is 28th in the nation at the end of the regular season.
• Missouri State looking to join Creighton as the only programs to win back-to-back-to-back Valley tourney titles. Creighton won four-straight from 1992-95.
• From 2019-present MSU has only lost three matches on its home turf at
Allison South Stadium, sporting a 34-3-4 record at home (.878).
• Missouri State has surrendered only nine goals all season (T-3rd nationally). Only Western Michigan (7) and Duke (7) have allowed fewer goals this season.
Series History
• The Bears faced the Purple Aces on Sept. 24, ending in a 4-3 win in favor of MSU.
• MSU leads the all-time series with Bradley with an overall record of 27-10-5.
• The Bears' three goals conceded to the Purple Aces earlier this season was 33 percent of the team's total goals (9) given up all year.
In the Nation
• Shutout Percentage: 1st (0.688)
• Shots on goal per game: 1st (8.50)
• Team GAA: 6th (0.562)
• Winning percentage: 6th (0.812)
• Goal differential: 8th (27), outscoring 36-9
• Assists per game: 15th (2.38)
• Scoring offense: 15th (2.25 goals per game)
• Corner kicks per game: 16th (6.62)
• Save percentage: 18th (0.795)
• Total goals: 24th (36 goals)
Take a Look Ahead
The Bears will await their fate when the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament selection show airs on Monday at 12 p.m. The first round of the national tournament will be played on Thursday, Nov. 17.
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