SPRINGFIELD – A single goal and 90 minutes of dominant defense saw the Missouri State men’s soccer team claim its third-straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title here Sunday afternoon, defeating Evansville 1-0 to earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the fourth-straight year.
“I’m so proud of the guys and to mention any specific names would mean to leave someone else out,” said head coach Michael Seabolt. “It was a great team effort.”
The Bears (12-1-4) and the Purple Aces were locked in a defensive stalemate throughout the first half of MSU’s fourth-straight MVC title match, neither able to break through the other’s strong backfield. Uncharacteristic of the usual aggressive attacking Bears, MSU only got three shots off in the opening 30 minutes and couldn’t get one to land.
In the 32nd minute, MSU finally earned a scoring chance. An Evansville foul inside the box set up a penalty kick for the Bears, but UE goalkeeper Landon Amick guessed right, as Kian Yari’s shot sailed into the hands of the backup goalie.
MSU and Evansville went into the break tied at zero.
To begin the second half, it was more of the same, as both teams continued to trade spurts of offense that did not result in goals thanks to the efforts of MSU goalkeeper Harry Townsend and Amick. However, a mass substitution in the 58th minute proved to be the offensive spark MSU needed. Seconds after running onto the field, Jon Koka and Adrian Barosen’s passes set up an opening for James Jennings. Off the double assist, the freshman forward fired a short, fully charged shot into the back of the net to give MSU the 1-0 advantage.
Though both teams continued to push the offensive pace, the match’s only goal proved to be enough, as the final 32 minutes ticked off the clock giving the top-seeded Bears the victory over three-seeded Evansville.
Ultimately, MSU outshot the Purple Aces 19-11, while limiting the visitors to two shots on goal.
The team’s 12th shutout of the season not only holds the top-spot in the NCAA this season, but marks a record in the club’s storied history.
“We’ve had fantastic results so far this season: regular season champions, Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champions, one of the best winning percentages in the country,” continued Seabolt. “It’s fantastic for the team and fantastic for the university and just a proud moment to be a Bear.”
MSU will make its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and seventh in program history.
The Bears will learn their postseason fate when the field of 48 teams is announced on Monday at 12 p.m. during the NCAA Men’s Soccer Selection Show, which will air online on the NCAA.com. The first round of the tournament will be played on Thursday, Nov. 17 on campus sites.
