Box Score EVANSVILLE, Ind. - In its MVC opener, the University of Evansville men's soccer team battled back to capture a 1-1 draw with Missouri State on Saturday evening at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
"We did everything we could. I can't give our guys enough credit for the way they battled and fought against a Missouri State team that hadn't lost a match this year," said Aces' men's soccer head coach Marshall Ray. "To come back from a goal down and then we had that chance in the first overtime, too, that hit off the post. We've been talking about being resilient, battling, fighting, being composed and I think the guys did that tonight against a very good Missouri State team."
Both teams had opportunities early in the match, but neither side could push through. The Bears recorded bac k-to-back corner kicks in the 11th and 12th minutes, followed by a header from Aces freshman Davis Peck that was saved by Missouri State goalkeeper Michael Creek. 10 minutes later, Evansville manufactured another chance as senior Eric McDougal's shot was also saved by Creek, keeping UE off the board in the early going. In the final 15 minutes of the first half, each team had an aggressive spell. From the 34th minute to the 37th minute, the Bears tallied four shots and a pair of corner kicks, but none provided the go-ahead score for MSU. The 40th to 43rd minutes provided fruitful for Evansville as the Aces put two shots on-goal that were saved, recording two more shots and a corner kick, as UE and MSU went to the halftime break in a scoreless tie.
Â
Box Score (PDF)
In the second half, Missouri State struck quickly, getting a goal in the 50th minute. After a corner kick from Stuart Wilkin, Josh Dolling attempted a bicycle kick, but his shot trickled wide to the feet of Conor Ingram who slipped it into the back of the net to give the Bears a 1-0 advantage. Evansville would respond with a goal of their own in the 66th minute as junior Jesse Stafford-Lacey slid a pass to fellow junior Simon Waever, who crossed the ball into the box where Peck found the end of it and clipped it in to tie the match at one. The final 24 minutes of the second half featured just one shot combined between the two teams as Stafford-Lacey's shot in the 81st minute missed wide and the Aces and Bears moved on to the first overtime period.
Evansville controlled much of the first overtime, out-shooting the Bears, 6-0, in the ten-minute period. Peck nearly scored for a second time inside the first two minutes of the first overtime as his shot was saved by Creek in the 91st minute. Freshman Logan Muck continued the theme of freshman creating opportunities as Muck worked himself into the box and curled a shot past the keeper that clanged off the post and out, keeping Evansville from ending the match.
The second overtime included just one shot combined between the two teams as the Bears recorded the lone shot of the period. In the 107th minute, Missouri State's Josh Dolling had his shot blocked, representing the last opportunity of the match as Evansville and Missouri State played to a 1-1 tie.
Peck powered the Aces, leading Evansville with his second half goal and recording four shots, all four of them coming on-goal. In goal, junior Frederik Reimer made a pair of saves in 110 minutes of action, allowing one goal in the draw.
Evansville concludes its three-match homestand on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. when the Aces host Butler at Arad McCutchan Stadium. To celebrate the NCAA's change in policy, UE will be handing out thundersticks in recognition of the NCAA's change in artificial noisemaker policy,
