EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Continuing its run of good form, the University of Evansville men's soccer captured a 2-0 shutout victory over Drake on Senior Day at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.

"It's been a long stretch of games for the guys and as I told them after the game today, I don't think there's any question we're a better team now than we were when we started this seven-game stretch," said Evansville head men's soccer coach Marshall Ray. "We kept our composure under some adverse circumstances and were able to keep two clean sheets in a row. We've got some guys banged up and we're going to have to take this week to rest, recover, and get prepared to go to Bradley. Our season is in front of us."

In goal, it was the second-straight shutout for redshirt junior Jacob Madden, who made three saves and was supported by an exceptional performance from the backline. On the attack, redshirt junior Jakub Hall turned-in what might be his best performance as an Ace, scoring twice with opportunities to record a hat trick with four shots on the afternoon.

Evansville scored quickly to take control of the match, finding the opener within the match's first quarter hour. With sophomore Pablo Guillen on the ball, Hall sprinted to the backline as Guillen slipped a well-timed through ball. Hall took a dribble and chipped the keeper, giving the Aces a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute. Drake would put three shots on-goal in the first half, challenging Madden. In the 35th minute, the Bulldogs generated their best chance of the day, sending a ball towards goal that an Evansville defender headed away as UE held the 1-0 advantage at the break.

To start the second half, it was again Evansville who came out on the front foot. Earning a free kick near midfield in the 58th minute, it was freshman Oliver Hald who stood over it. Hald sent a sailing ball into the box that junior Ethan Garvey found the end of, heading back towards the central part of the box. On the spot was Hall, who flicked the ball in on the first touch, doubling Evansville's lead and giving the West Lafayette, Ind. native his brace. The final half-hour of the match featured few chances for either side as Evansville's defense held strong in the 2-0 win.

The shutout was the third of the season for Evansville and the 2-0 win for the second-straight match marked the first time Evansville has recorded back-to-back two-goal-plus shutout wins in MVC play since 2010 when the Aces earned 3-0 and 5-0 wins over Eastern Illinois and Central Arkansas. The last time it happened with at least one of the matches coming on the road was in Oct. 1990 with wins over Loyola and at Marquette.

Evansville closes-out the regular season at 7 PM on Saturday, Nov. 6 with a trip to Peoria, Ill. to take on Bradley.
 

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