CHICAGO, IL - For the first time as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, No. 5 seed Belmont advanced to the MVC Tournament semifinals with a 1-0  win at No. 4 seed UIC.   The Bruins played the final 36 minutes with only 10 men after a red card was issued to Esteban Leiva. 

Belmont's Ayden von Essen scored the only goal of the match, finding the back of the net in the 15th minute thanks to an assist from AJ Chastonay.  The goal was von Essen's first of the season. 

Belmont has reached the championship match each of the last two years in the SoCon.  Last season, the Bruins upset top-seeded and nationally ranked UNC Greensboro 2-1 in the semifinals of the league tournament. During the unique 2020-21 spring season, Belmont upended top-seeded and 25th-ranked Furman 3-1 in the SoCon Championship semifinals.

Belmont will face Evansville in the MVC Tournament semifinals at 3PM Thursday in Springfield, Missouri and will be televised on ESPN+.