SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The University of Evansville men's soccer team is hoping to keep its postseason alive in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Saturday night.
 

#5 Evansville vs. #3 Bowling Green | Saturday, November 16 | 6:30 PM CT
Site | Location	Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium | Springfield, Mo.
Links	6:30 PM CT:  Live Stats | TV: ESPN+
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The Purple Aces continued their magical postseason run with another upset, this time over the top-seeded and 11th-ranked team Missouri State. UE handed the Bears only their third loss of the season, their first loss at home in over two months and their only shutout of 2024 in the 1-0 win. Junior defender Nacho Garcia (Zaragoza, Spain) scored his first goal with Evansville in the 50th minute on Wednesday night. Garcia moved up into the six on an Aces free kick and was able to head the ball into the net for his first Division I goal. Garcia became the 11th goal scorer for UE and the seventh to make a game-winning goal.

Bowling Green comes into the MVC Championship match as the most prolific scoring team in the Valley postseason. The Falcons have scored five goals over two matches with the bulk of their goals coming in their quarterfinal match hosting UIC. Bowling Green scored four goals in 90 minutes against the Flames but only a single goal in the semifinal match with #2 Drake. The Falcons lone goal came from their offensive leader junior forward Trace Terry. Terry was not available for Bowling Green's match at Evansville due to a red card the match prior and will make the Falcons a new test for UE. 

With their wins over No. 11 Missouri State and No. 23 Western Michigan the Aces had their first back-to-back wins over ranked opponents in over 30 years. The last time UE beat two ranked opponents back to back was in 1991 with wins over #4 UNC-Charlotte and #10 Fresno State on October 25th and 27th. With the win on both the Broncos and Bears home fields, Evansville took a big jump in the RPI. The Aces went from having an RPI of 89 before the match-up 30 spots to an RPI of 59 heading into the MVC Championship. 

Three Evansville players earned All-MVC honors. Senior forward Nacho Diaz Barragan (Spain) and redshirt freshman midfielder Jacopo Fedrizzi (Italy) were both named to the All-MVC Second. While freshman goalkeeper Michal Mroz (Elk Grove, Ill.) was named to the All-MVC Freshman Team with one other keeper.