The Missouri Valley Conference has announced it will be redrawing the spring 2021 men's soccer schedule. The Conference schedule, originally slated to begin Feb. 13 with a Drake at Evansville match, will now begin during the final week of the month with matches scheduled on Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 27-28.
Due to the very low likelihood of completing any matches in the first two weeks of the current schedule, administrators and staff agreed to pursue a redraw of the MVC regular-season schedule using the following dates (each team would play eight games in a double-round format over the 10 dates).
• Saturday-Sunday, February 27-28
• Thursday, March 4
• Tuesday, March 9
• Saturday, March 13
• Wednesday, March 17
• Sunday, March 21
• Thursday, March 25
• Monday, March 29
• Saturday-Sunday, April 3-4
• Thursday, April 8
Matchups, sites, start times and broadcast information will be released as soon as possible.
BRAD: Program Pause
Bradley announced Sunday it would pause all activities due to positive COVID-19 test results among the program’s Tier 1 personnel, which consists of student-athletes, coaches, managers and staff. Monday’s game against Illinois-Springfield, scheduled to be played indoors at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex Slugger Dome, was cancelled.
UE: Freshman at the Spot
When Pablo Guillen was given the ball for the penalty in the closing minutes of the Aces season opener against Lipscomb, the freshman entered rare air. Guillen became the first freshman Ace to take a penalty for Evansville since Zac Blaydes went 1-for-1 from the spot in 2015. Guillen is just the third freshman to attempt a PK for the Aces since 2006, joining Blaydes and Faik Hajderovic.
LUC: Into The Forest We Go
With winter still in full effect in Rogers Park, Loyola will play its first of three contests in Rockford, Ill. on Sunday afternoon when it hosts in-state foe Northern Illinois indoors at the Mercyhealth Sportscore Two complex. The Ramblers and Huskies will meet for the 24th time, a series the Maroon & Gold has dominated of late to the tune of four straight victories, including a 1-0 win back on September 1, 2019 at Loyola Soccer Park.
Poll Position
Missouri State sits No. 10 in the College Soccer News Top 30 preseason poll. Loyola is receiving votes in the poll.
After cracking the United Soccer Coaches poll for the second straight year, MSU spent nine consecutive weeks in the top-25 rankings—including four weeks in the top 10—during the 2019 season.
This week's Missouri Valley Conference Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week are Bradley's Malte Winkler and Loyola's Liam Woehrle.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Malte Winkler, R-So., D, Bradley
Battling through injuries, Winkler had played in just six games during his first two years at Bradley, but made the most of his start at right back during Wednesday’s season-opening win against Eastern Illinois. Winkler scored his first career Bradley goal in the 66th minute, pushing the Braves out to a 2-0 lead. Winkler then forced an EIU turnover deep in the Bradley offensive end and slotted a pass to freshman Patrick Fishburne for the game-winner on his first career assist in the 80th minute.
Other Notable Performances: Pablo Guillen (UE)
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Liam Woehrle, Sr., D, Loyola
Loyola senior defender Liam Woehrle put in a full shift in the Ramblers’ season-opening matchup with Marquette last Wednesday. The Winter Park, Fla. native played all 92 minutes as the Maroon & Gold limited Marquette to just four shots on target in a tightly-contested 1-0 overtime setback to the Golden Eagles. Woehrle, who also tallied a shot in the defeat, started in nine of his 15 appearances last season.
Other Notable Performances: N/A