Men’s Soccer Opens MVC Play Against Bradley

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State men’s soccer (3-2) returns home with a two-match winning streak as it is set to welcome the Bradley Braves (3-2-1) on Sunday, Sept. 15 at Betty & Bobby Allison Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. and admission is free to all attendees.

On The Pitch

• Missouri State is coming off back-to-back 12-win seasons under head coach Michael Seabolt, who is in his third season at the helm of the program. MoState has won at least 12 games each season since 2019.

• Since the beginning of the 2019 season, Missouri State men’s soccer holds the best DI overall record of 74-13-8 (.821), best conference record of 39-2-3 (.920) and third-best home record of 42-6-4 (.846). The Bears were tied for the 18th-best win percentage in 2023 (.711).

• MSU has made five straight NCAA appearances, joining Kentucky, Indiana, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, New Hampshire, Georgetown, Marshall and Clemson as the only nine DI teams in the nation to make every tournament since 2019.

• The Bears began their first winning streak of the season with a 2-0 victory over the Central Arkansas Bears on Tuesday. It was Missouri State’s first road win of the season, extending their winning streak against UCA to four matches.

• Senior forward Jesus Barea notched his third brace of the season and fourth of his career. He scored a goal in each half on exceptional passing plays. He has scored eight of Missouri State’s nine goals this year. He assisted senior defender Michael Peck’s goal against Pacific in Missouri State’s home opener on Aug. 26.

• Barea leads the nation in goals (8), goals per game (1.60) and shots on goal per game (3.60). He is tied for first in points per game (3.40) with Wisconsin’s Dean Boltz. He is also second in shot per game (5.40), behind Cornell’s Alex Harris (5.67). He is also tied for 17th in shot accuracy (.667) a category he was fourth in last year (.604). Barea leads the MVC in goals (8), points (17), total shots (27), shots on goal (18) and is tied in game-winning goals (2).

• Barea is tied for third in all-time Missouri State history in goals (27) and points (70) and is second in shots (207).

• Barea has scored in six straight games going back to last season’s NCAA Tournament match against Stanford.

• Senior goalkeeper Will Lowry made his first career appearance in relief in the final 31 minutes of play against UCA. He faced three off-target shots as the Bears’ defense has only allowed one shot on goal in the last two matches.

• Senior goalkeeper Harry Townsend played the first 59 minutes against UCA in a team shutout. The All-West Region player’s 25 career solo shutouts are the second most among active DI goalkeepers behind Duke’s Wessel Speel with 26. Townsend is tied with Liam Priestley for third in shutouts in program history, two shy of Michael Creek’s record of 27.

• Last season, the Bears were fourth in the nation in shot accuracy with 124 of 240 shots being on goal (.517). Missouri State is on a similar trajectory with 33 of 59 shots being on goal in its first five matches (.531), ninth in Division I.

• Missouri State played a clean brand of soccer in 2023. The Bears were sixth in the nation in fewest fouls per game (8.89), only behind Boston College (8.12), fellow MVC opponent Belmont (8.56), Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and St. Bonaventure (8.71). This season, the Bears are averaging 9.80 fouls per game, fewest in the MVC and tied for the 42nd fewest in DI.

Series History vs. Bradley

• The Missouri State Bears and Bradley Braves go head-to-head for the 48th time overall and 25th time in Springfield. Missouri State is 34-9-4 all-time against Bradley and 18-4-2 against the Braves at home.

• Missouri State has a 14-match winning streak against Bradley. The Braves last beat the Bears on Oct. 17, 2015 in Peoria, 4-0. The last time Bradley defeated Missouri State in Springfield was Oct. 6, 2012. During MoState’s 14-match winning streak, MSU has outscored Bradley, 33-3, including six straight shutouts.

• The Bears defeated the Braves, 6-0, on the road in what was Missouri State’s most dominant match of the season. It was the first time Missouri State had scored six goals in a match since 2011 against Oral Roberts. MSU returns players who scored three of the six goals, two came from forward Pablo Guillen.

Scouting the Braves

• Bradley enters Sunday night’s match with a 3-2-1 record, with wins against Chicago State, Western Illinois and Purdue Fort Wayne all at home. The Braves drew Xavier and lost to Milwaukee and Green Bay.

• Most recently against Green Bay at home on Monday, the visiting Phoenix scored the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute to secure a 2-1 win. All three goals were scored in the second half. 

• Bradley averages the seventh-most fouls per game in the nation (16.67). Its 100 total fouls are the third most in Divison I, only behind Marquette (103) and Xavier (102). 

• Bradley also averages the 15th-fewest corner kicks per game (2.67)in the nation. Missouri State averages three corners per game, making the two teams eighth and ninth in the MVC in the category.

• Eight Bradley players combine for its 11 goals this season. Forward Mitch Coughlon leads the team with three, including against Western Illinois. Midfielder Francesco Pettinaroli is the only other player with more than one. He scored his against Western Illinois and the lone Bradley score against Green Bay on Monday.

• Junior goalkeeper Drew Berry and senior goalkeeper Alex Grow have alternated time at net for the Braves in their six matches. Berry played the first, third and fifth game and Grow played the second, fourth and sixth one. Berry has 14 saves on two goals allowed while Grow, who played MSU last year, has 10 saves on five goals allowed. Berry was on goal in two of Bradley’s three wins and is tied for 30th in the nation in goalkeeper goals against average (.667).