NOTEBOOK (PDF)
Missouri State sits atop the league standings with seven points (2-0-1 MVC), while Central Arkansas (2-1-0 MVC) is a point back, Loyola (1-0-2 MVC) has five points and Drake (1-0-1 MVC) has four points. Evansville (0-1-1 MVC) and Valparaiso (0-1-1 MVC) each have one point, while Bradley (0-3-0 MVC) is searching for its first league win despite being unbeaten in non-conference action.
Three league matches will take place on Saturday as Missouri State travels to Loyola, Evansville welcomes Drake and Valparaiso heads to Bradley.
Unbeaten Bears
Missouri State is undefeated though 10 matches following Saturday’s win over Bradley. The Bears are one of three teams in NCAA Division I to remain unbeaten, joining St. Mary’s (CA), and Portland.
Poll Position
In this week’s addition of the national polls, Missouri State cracked the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and College Soccer News Top 30 polls appearing at No. 25 in the coaches poll and No. 30 in the College Soccer News poll this week.
Home Success
In league play, the home team has posted a 5-1-3 mark on their own pitch. The lone home defeat was Bradley falling in overtime to Loyola by a 2-1 decision on September 29.
Score & Lockdown
Drake and Missouri State are the MVC’s top teams offensively and defensively this season, ranking as the top two in goals scored and goals allowed. Drake and MSU each have 18 goals this season, while MSU leads in goals allowed (7). Only nine times in the league’s history has a team finished the season with the most goals scored and least amount of goals allowed. All nine of those teams finished the season ranked in the Top 25.
Loyola 2016
Creighton 2011, 1997, 1996, 1993, 1992
SMU 2001, 2002
Tulsa 1991
NCAA RPI Report
The latest NCAA RPI report for the 2018 season has been released and The Valley has four teams featured in the top-100. Missouri State leads the league at No. 50, while Loyola (No. 64), Drake (No. 78) and Bradley (No. 85) are also among the nation’s top-100. The MVC ranks 12th among 24 conferences.
Earning a Result
Evansville’s five draws this season are the second-most in a season in program history. The program record is six when the Aces amassed a 9-5-6 record in 1979. Currently, the Aces are tied with Colgate and Xavier for the second most ties nationally with five, Cal State Fullerton leads the nation with six draws (4-3-6).
Improved Offense
MSU has scored 18 goals this season, already beating the goal total from a season ago. Missouri State is currently tied for the league lead with 18 goals scored this season. The last time the Bears led the MVC in goals scored was during the 1999 season. MSU finished that year 17-1-3, dropping its only game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to UAB.
Climbing the Charts
Central Arkansas junior Niklas Brodacki has 37 goals for his career, which ties him for 9th-most in Valley history. Brodacki is the first player to crack the top 10 since Tulsa’s Ryan Pore in 2004. Brodacki has seven goals on the season, ranking second in the conference. He is the current active NCAA leader in points per game (1.65) and goals per game (0.77).
Most Goals, Career:
55 Mike Tranchilla, Creighton (1999-2002)
53 Gavin Glinton, Bradley (1998-2001)
51 Ryan Pore, Tulsa (2002-2004)
49 Keith DeFini, Creighton (1991-93)
46 Johnny Torres, Creighton (1994-97)
Matt Caution, Missouri State (1993, 1995-97)
43 Brian Kamler, Creighton (1991-93)
40 Jason Thompson, Eastern Illinois (2000-02)
37 Diego Walsh, SMU (2000-2002)
Niklas Brodacki, Central Arkansas (2016-)
MVC in Regional Rankings
The MVC has four teams currently ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches West Regional rankings released on Tuesday (Oct. 9). Missouri State sits No. 4 in the region, while Drake (6th), Bradley (7th) and Central Arkansas (9th) also appear in the poll.
This week's Missouri Valley Conference Players of the Week are Central Arkansas' Kasper Andersen and Missouri State's Ben Stroud.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Kasper Andersen, So., F, Central Arkansas
Central Arkansas sophomore forward Kasper Andersen was key for a UCA attack that struck three times in the first half on Saturday, picking up his third assist and first goal of the season as the Bears defeated Evansville 3-2. He notched his first mark on the scoresheet in the 41st minute, playing a ball to Soren Jensen, who whipped a pass off of an Evansville defender to Chris Holmes for the equalizer, before receiving a pass from Jensen and firing inside the left post for the game-winner in the 43rd minute.
Other Notable Performances: Filip Johansson (UE); Nicolo Mulatero (MSU)
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Ben Stroud, Jr., D, Missouri State
Ben Stroud and the Bears defense held up a pair of 1-0 shutouts on the week, first against Western Illinois (Oct. 2) and then Bradley (Oct. 6). Stroud is a staple in the Bears middle back line, where he held opponents to a combined nine shots in two matches. The Bears defense leads the MVC in goals-against-average (.70) and top-20 in the country. Stroud was a key to the Bears success defensively, winning key headers and directing the crushing protection for the squad. Stroud added an assist and two shot attempts on the week.
Other Notable Performances: Mathias Nors (UE); Josh Lagudah (LUC)