Box Score PEORIA, Ill. - In a wild match in its regular season finale, the University of Evansville men's soccer team battled to earn a 4-3 win over Bradley on Saturday night in Peoria, Ill., securing the Purple Aces a bid to the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
"That was one heck of a battle in the Valley tonight. Both teams had to go for the result and I think that resulted in a really chaotic second half," said Aces' men's soccer head coach Marshall Ray. "I have to give a lot of credit to coach DeRose and his team and the way his boys fought this evening. They made it difficult every step of the way. I'm really proud of our guys and how they responded and now it's time to get ready for the conference tournament."
Bradley came quickly out of the gate, earning three corners and recording two shots in the first four minutes of the match. The Aces answered with a chance of their own as freshman Mathias Nors saw his shot deflect off the crossbar in the sixth minute. After Bradley tallied three more shots, it was Evansville who settled-in midway through the period. Junior Ben Weber had his shot blocked in the 23rd minute, followed by a shot on-goal by fellow junior Hunter DeWeese that was saved by the Braves minutes later. In the 29th minute, Evansville pushed ahead as junior Simon Waever crossed the ball into the box, finding freshman Logan Muck, who settled it and finished to give the Aces a 1-0 advantage. To close the half, the Braves had two more shots, but neither came on-frame as UE carried a one-goal lead to the break.
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Box Score (PDF)
Early in the second half, Bradley tied the match at a goal apiece as Jha'Lon Johnson scored off an assist from Frank Bak in the 46th minute. The Aces created two more opportunities leading into the 61st minute with Waever and freshman Ryan Harris each testing the Braves with a shot on-goal that Bradley saved. Bradley moved in front in the 64th minute after an Evansville foul in the box led to a penalty kick from Gerit Wintermeyer that found the back of the net. Senior Trevor Baum tied the match at two after junior Jesse Stafford-Lacey sent a corner kick on its way and freshman Mathias Nors headed it towards goal. The ball landed at the feet of Baum who finished past the keeper in the 75th minute. Less than three minutes later, the Aces moved back in front as junior Ben Weber's shot was saved and rebounded to sophomore Filip Johansson who reacted and found the back of the net. The hosts were not done just yet as Bradley tied the match for the third time of the night in the 83rd minute with a header by Wintermeyer following a throw-in. As the clock ticked inside a minute, Evansville manufactured itself a chance to capture the win late. A foul inside the box earned the Aces a penalty kick which Stafford-Lacey stepped to the spot and finished as Evansville earned the 4-3 win.
Leading the way for UE was Stafford-Lacey who scored the game-winner and provided an assist on Baum's goal to help push the Aces to the win. In goal, senior Greg Niven picked-up the win, making one save, allowing three goals, in the victory.
Evansville is the No. 5 seed in the 2018 MVC Championship and will take on No. 4 seed Missouri State at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
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