Boxscore

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Kevin Shrout's free kick goal in the second half gave Drake University a 2-1 victory over the University of Evansville this afternoon in the championship match of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Tournament.

The win gives Drake the MVC's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Tournament.  Meanwhile, the Aces, Missouri State and Creighton are all hopeful of at-large bids to the 48-team tourney.  The MVC has received multiple bids to the NCAAs in nine of the last 10 years.  Evansville tied for third place in the MVC regular season standings, and then bumped off league champion Missouri State 2-1 in overtime in the semifinals Friday to advance into today's title match.  NCAA Tournament pairings will be announced Monday at approximately 4:40 CST on ESPNews.

Drake struck first today when Michael Noonan finished off a long run with a hard shot past the reach of UE goalkeeper Phil Boerger.  Evansville countered just five minutes later with the tying goal from junior Mike Luttrull, his sixth of the year.  That's the way the score stood until the 63rd minute when Shrout's low blast found the back of the net.

Evansville was the attacking team much of the day, and finished with 23 shots, including 10 on goal.  Drake took just 12 shots and had three on goal, but goalkeeper Michael Drozd made seven saves to help the Bulldogs escape with the win and make their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.