Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions with Dr Nietzel
Evansville Aces – 0
Jordan Hoffman’s 3rd goal of the season, a header at the back post from Johannes Demarzi’s corner kick, was all that was needed today.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The 22nd-ranked Missouri State men’s soccer team (12-3-2, 7-1-1) clinched the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title with its 1-0 win over Evansville (10-7-1, 4-4-1) at Plaster Field this afternoon. It is the third regular season title for the Bears, having won it in 1999 and 1997. The win is the Bears seventh straight, the longest winning streak since 2004.
Sophomore Jordan Hoffman tallied his third goal of the season on a header in the 82nd minute to put the Bears ahead. Johannes Demarzi registered his conference-leading 10th assist of the season as his corner kick found Hoffman open on the back post. Only three other players in the nation have more assists than Demarzi.
Hoffman’s goal was one of the Bears’ seven shots in the match. David Buckenheimer and Edin Sabic each tallied two shots to lead Missouri State in the category. Bears’ keeper Alex Riggs had to make one save to preserve the shutout. Riggs now has eight shutouts this season, the second highest season total in school history.
“It was great winning the conference championship at home today,” said head coach Jon Leamy. “Our kids have battled all season. It was another great conference match and the guys continued to work hard out there.”
Missouri State will travel to Charleston, Ill., to play Eastern Illinois on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the regular season finale. The Bears will then play in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament next Friday, November 13, in Des Moines, Iowa. The Bears opponent and match time for the tournament are yet to be determined.
