Boxscore
PEORIA, Ill. -- Four University of Evansville seniors had their soccer careers end way too soon for their liking here Wednesday. Goals by Paul Paradise and Heath Melugin gave third seed Missouri State a 2-0 win over the Aces in the quarterfinal round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The win sends Missouri State into the semifinals Friday against number two SIU Edwardsville, and brings a close to the careers of Evansville's top four scorers--Tom Irvin, Tyler Kincaid, Mike Luttrull and Robby Lynch.
Evansville outshot the Bears 14-9, led by four shots from Luttrull, three from Tad Kreamalmeyer and two from Irvin. But all-conference goalkeeper Alex Riggs of Missouri State collected all three shots that Evansville put on goal as the Bears improved to 8-6-3 overall and ended a streak of four consecutive winning seasons by the Aces, who finished the season at 7-10-1.
Paradise scored what proved to be the game-winner at 24:22, when he took a pass from David Buckenheimer and chipped a shot from just inside the penalty area over Evansville keeper Robert Randant. The Aces went on the offensive and dominated much of the remainder of the match, but the Bears turned away every opportunity and eventually scored again at 81:58 when Melugin found an opening in UE's defense and struck a low line drive that found the back of the net, giving the Bears all the cushion they needed.
