Every week is important when you’re pursuing a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth, but few weeks can compare with this one for the University of Evansville men's soccer team. In a 48-hour span beginning Wednesday, the Purple Aces host the only two teams ahead of them in the Missouri Valley Conference. Second place Missouri State is Wednesday’s opponent at McCutchan Stadium, followed by league-leading Drake on Friday in the nationally televised Fox Soccer Channel Game of the Week. Both kick off at 7 p.m. CDT.

TIME TO CLIMB

How important is finishing high in the MVC standings? Since 2005, the 48-team NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament has included two MVC teams three times (2005, 2007, 2008) and one selection in 2006. The Aces still have three Valley teams ahead of them in this week's NSCAA Midwest Region standings. Drake is second, Missouri State is third, Creighton is sixth and Evansville is seventh.

ANOTHER WINNING SEASON WITHIN GRASP

At 9-4-1, Evansville is off to its best start since 1996, when the Aces won the MVC Tournament and played in the NCAAs. One more win will assure UE of its fourth straight winning season under fourth-year coach Mike Jacobs. The last time UE was above .500 for that long was 1989 through 1992.

UE IN THE NCAA RANKINGS

After beating Bradley 3-1 and tying Creighton 1-1, Evansville is back in the 'Also Receiving Votes' category in both the NSCAA and Soccer Times polls that were released Tuesday. In the statistical rankings, Evansville is the nation's 14th highest scoring team this week, averaging 2.0 goals per match. (Missouri State has the nation's 25th best defense, allowing only 0.74). Tom Irvin is tied for 15th nationally in assists with eight, and Blake Schneider is 23rd with seven.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Sophomore goalkeeper Phil Boerger is the MVC Defensive Player of the Week. He made four saves against Bradley in the Aces' 3-1 win and six against Creighton in the 1-1 draw Saturday. Boerger played all 200 minutes last week, lowering his season goals-against average to 1.09.

ABOUT THE BEARS

Winners of three in a row, and winners of all three matches on the road against MVC teams, Missouri State is the hottest team in the league. MSU dealt Drake its first league loss last weekend at Des Moines, 2-1, on goals from Johannes Demarzi and Ryan Hennessy. The Bears have scored only 18 goals, but their outstanding defense has given up only 10 goals in 13 matches.

MVC STANDINGS

MVC.....Overall

Drake.....3-1-0....8-4-1

Mo. State.....3-1-1.....8-3-2

Evansville.....3-2-1.....9-4-1

Creighton.....3-2-2.....5-3-3

E. Illinois.....2-3-0.....5-5-2

Bradley.....0-5-0.....5-7-1

Wednesday's Matches

Missouri State at Evansville

Eastern Illinois at Drake

Creighton at Bradley