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CONWAY, Ark. – Sophomore Mark Anthony Gonzalez scored his fifth game-winning goal of the season to give the University of Evansville men's soccer team a 1-0 victory at Central Arkansas  in Missouri Valley Conference action Saturday afternoon in Conway, Ark.
 
Gonzalez netted the lone goal of the match in the 26th minute as Evansville (9-5-1, 2-2-0 MVC) rebounded from a pair of losses to even its record in conference play.  Junior goalkeeper Eric Teppen made four saves to help Aces' defense record its second shutout of the year, and its first since the season opener against Massachusetts.
 
"This was a great bounce back game for us," head coach Mike Jacobs said.  "Our boys responded really well by holding them to only one shot on goal in the first half."
 
Despite controlling possession for much of the match, UE posted a slim, 16-15, shot advantage over Central Arkansas (4-9-1, 0-3-1 MVC) and was outshot by the Bears, 11-8, in the second half.
 
Gonzalez gave Evansville the lead midway through the first half by finishing a pair of passes from juniors Joel Craig and Kevin Schafer, and the Aces would take that 1-0 advantage into the intermission.
 
The key moment of the second half came in the 52nd minute, when UCA goalkeeper Paxti Shortsleeve was issued a red card, after breaking up a scoring chance by junior Dylan Terry.  As Terry was just about to dribble into the box on a breakaway opportunity, Shortsleeve dove at the feet of Terry outside the 18-yard box, which resulted in Shortsleeve being whistled for a hand ball and being sent off the pitch.  Gonzalez nearly doubled the Aces' lead on the ensuing free kick, but his shot sailed just over the crossbar.
 
"We had the lion's share of the possession throughout the match, and even more so after their goalkeeper was sent off," Jacobs said.  "However, they created their best chances after they went a man down and their players and staff deserve credit for fighting despite playing with 10 men."
 
Down a man, Central Arkansas created its best scoring chance and nearly tied the score in the 70th minute, when a shot by Dylan Brog carom off the crossbar, before the UE defense was able to clear the ball off the line.
 
UCA attempted its 11th shot of the second half in the 77th minute, when a shot off the foot of Taylor Hart went wide and Evansville was able fend off the Bears for the victory.
 
"This was a very workmanlike match for our guys and I thought they grinded out a result that should have really been out of reach much earlier," Jacobs added.  "You have to be able to grind out 1-0 matches in conference play and I'm proud of how our boys conducted themselves."
 
Gonzalez led the Aces offensively with four shot attempts and was one of 11 different UE players to record a shot.  Junior Charlie Macias added three shots, including two on goal.  Hart led all players with a game-high six shots for Central Arkansas.
 
Evansville will be back in action Tuesday night at 7 p.m., when it travels to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Lipscomb in its final non-conference match of the season.