KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri State men's soccer (11-2-2, 6-0-1 Missouri Valley Conference) gained six spots to No. 11 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll released Tuesday afternoon. The ranking is the highest the Bears have been placed in the poll this season.

The No. 11 ranking is the highest for Missouri State in the month of November since being ranked No. 10 at the end of the 2021 regular season. The Bears were ranked as high as No. 9 last year in three consecutive weeks. The highest Missouri State has ever been ranked by United Soccer Coaches is No. 3 on Sept. 11, 2000.

Last week, the Bears put on a second-half clinic against the Evansville Purple Aces (8-6-2), putting up five goals in the final 45 minutes to win, 6-1, on Friday. A different player scored each goal. Missouri State improved its unbeaten streak to 12 matches, going 10-0-2 in that stretch. The longest MoState has gone without a loss is 20 matches back in 1999, the same year Missouri State won its first MVC Tournament championship.

Missouri State becomes the highest-ranked MVC team. Western Michigan dropped from No. 14 to No. 23 following a 3-0 loss to Bowling Green on Friday. The Bears remain at No. 3 on the United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll behind Denver (11-2-4) and San Diego (12-1-2).

Ohio State (12-1-3) maintained its top spot in the rankings.

Missouri State heads to Des Moines for a winner-take-all match against Drake (9-3-3, 5-0-2 MVC) for the MVC regular season championship. A win or draw gives the Bears the title, the No. 1 seed in the MVC Tournament and hosting rights to the semifinals (Nov. 13) and championship match (Nov. 16). 

Kickoff against the Bulldogs is set for Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. CT from Mediacom Stadium. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.