Boxscore

PEORIA, Ill. -- The Aces fell behind early, then used their heads Wednesday night to beat the Bradley Braves 3-1 in a Missouri Valley Conference men's soccer match. 

All three University of Evansville goals came on headers, by Justin Sass and Blake Schneider in the first half, and Robby Lynch in the second, as Evansville improved to 9-4-0 and 3-2 in the Valley.  The Aces are off to their best start since 1996.  Bradley is 5-6-1 and 0-4.

Graham Stockdale put his Braves up 1-0 at 8:04 before Sass scored his third goal of the year at 24:24, heading in a pass from Robby Lynch following Schneider's corner kick.  The game winner came just four minutes later when Schneider scored his first collegiate goal, heading in Tom Irvin's long throw-in at the 28:28 mark.  The insurance tally came two minutes into the second half when Reggie Edu found Lynch with a pass that the junior midfielder headed in past Bradley goalkeeper Jim Schultz for the clincher.

Evansville had the advantage in shots, with 15 total and nine on goal.  Bradley took 14 shots, with five on goal against keeper Phil Boerger.

Wednesday's match was the fifth conference match for UE, and the fourth on the road.  The Aces come home to face perennial national power Creighton on Saturday at 7:00 at Black Beauty Field to begin a three-match homestand.