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Entering the final week of MVC regular-season play, just three league matches remain on the calendar, each with seeding implications for the 2017 MVC Men’s Soccer Championship, Nov. 7, 8, 10 & 12 in Peoria, Illinois.

Missouri State and Central Arkansas have each secured a bye into the semifinals of the upcoming MVC Tournament in Peoria and will open play on Friday, November 10.  Missouri State secured the top seed with Central Arkansas’ 3-0 loss to Bradley on Saturday.  MSU can earn an outright MVC title with a win or draw at Drake Saturday.

Below are the seed ranges for all seven league teams heading into the final three matches.

Team                    Seed Range
Missouri State            1
Central Arkansas        2
Bradley                    3-6
Valparaiso                3-7
Loyola                      3-7
Evansville                  4-7
Drake                        5-7

NCAA RPI Report
The latest edition of the NCAA RPI report for the 2017 season has been released (Oct. 30) and the Valley has three teams featured in the top-125. Missouri State leads the league at No. 65, while Evansville sits 114th and Loyola sits 119th nationally.

MVC in Regional Rankings
The MVC has four teams currently ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches West Regional rankings released on Tuesday (Oct. 31).  Missouri State sits No. 4 in the region, while Loyola (7th), Bradley (8th) and Valparaiso (9th) also appear in the poll.

Game Winning Machine
Evansville’s Ian McGrath notched his fifth game-winning goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Central Arkansas Tuesday, finding the back of the net in the 100th minute.  The five game-winning goals ranks second nationally behind Garrett McLaughlin of SMU (6).   

Elite Defense
Missouri State goalkeeper Liam Priestley has posted nine shutouts this season and 23 in his career, which ranks him tied for second overall in school history.  Missouri State sits second nationally in save percentage (.864) and third in shutout percentage (0.643) this season.

Home Shutouts
Following Saturday's 3-0 win over Central Arkansas, Bradley has won seven of its 10 home games by shutout this season. The Braves have allowed only three regulation goals in the 10 home games, a 29th-minute tally by Gonzaga Aug. 27 and two strikes by UIC Oct. 17.  The five total goals allowed through 10 games represent the second fewest Bradley has surrendered at home for a season.

Moving On Up
Central Arkansas sophomore Niklas Brodacki scored the Bears' lone goal against Evansville on Tuesday night for his 11th goal of the season. The goal was the 24th of his career, tying him for Central Arkansas’ Division I  program record with former UCA great Wes Carson. Carson scored 24 goals in 68 career appearances; Brodacki has needed just 34 to equal him.

Trying to Top .500
Valparaiso enters the weekend with a chance to nail down a winning regular season record with a win or draw Saturday. They have finished above the .500 mark overall each of the last three seasons. Valpo can finish with a .500 conference record if it beats Bradley on Saturday. That would also mark the fourth straight season Valpo has finished .500 or better in league action.
 

This week's Missouri Valley Conference Players of the Week are Missouri State's Josh Dolling and Drake's Caden McCullough.

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Josh Dolling, Fr., F, Missouri State
Missouri State freshman Josh Dolling scored two goals during last week’s action. The first came against Valparaiso Tuesday afternoon. Dolling opened the scoring for the Bears in the 39th minute, for his third goal of the season. The pass came from the corner from Stuart Wilkin and Dolling netted it in from 10 yards out. In the eighth minute against Loyola on Saturday Dolling made a quick move around a defender to score from 12 yards out. It was Dolling’s fourth goal of the season and came off an assist from Conor Ingram. This week was the second time this season Dolling has scored in consecutive matches.  

Other Notable Performances: Younes Dayekh (BRAD); Alex Peterson (DU); Fabian Lifka (LUC)

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Caden McCullough, Fr., GK, Drake
Drake freshman Caden McCullough recorded his first MVC shutout in 1-0 win at Evansville Saturday.  The freshman keeper tallied five saves, including a key save on an Evansville penalty kick in the 87th minute.  McCullough has played every minute in net for the Bulldogs this season.

Other Notable Performances: Alex Ciaramitaro (BRAD); Kyle Hiebert (MSU)