BOX SCORE

PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Evansville men’s soccer team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end, as Drake scored the game-winning goal with less than 25 seconds remaining in regulation to beat the Purple Aces, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday afternoon in Peoria, Ill.
 
After Drake (6-10-4) held off a late shot barrage from Evansville (9-8-1), the Bulldogs mounted a counter attack that led to the eventual game-winning goal.  With the clock winding down, DU’s Eric Williams took a pass from Michael Thaden and dribbled through the UE defense, before blasting a shot into upper, left corner of the frame from the top of the box with 24.7 seconds remaining.
 
The Purple Aces got on the scoreboard first in the 17th minute on a goal by Joel Craig.  Craig bent a shot from the right corner of the 18-yard box into the top, left corner of the goal, beating Drake goalkeeper Rich Gallagher for his second tally of the season.
 
Evansville’s lead was short lived, as Drake tied the match at 1-1 in the 24th minute on a goal by Jarred Arde.  Arde’s header toward the UE net, which came after a cross from Brian Grand, looked to initially be saved by Aces’ keeper Eric Teppen, but it was immediately ruled to have crossed the goal line by the side referee.
 
The two sides headed into halftime with the score knotted at 1-1, as the Bulldogs held a slim, 11-10, shot advantage.  Evansville put three of its 10 attempts on frame and DU managed to put a pair on goal.
 
In the second half, each side once again fired away at the opposing net, as the Aces got off 12 shots to Drake’s 10.  The Bulldogs put eight of their 10 second-half shots on frame, forcing Teppen to make seven saves over the final 45 minutes, before finally beating him in the waning moments of the contest.
 
Faik Hajderovic led the Evansville offense with eight shots, putting three of them on goal, while Mark Anthony Gonzalez fired four unsuccessful attempts.
 
The Aces finished their season with a 9-8-1 overall record and placed in a tie for third in the MVC regular-season standings with a 3-2-1 mark.
 
The Bulldogs advance to play nationally-ranked Creighton in Friday’s semifinal match at 3 p.m.