Courtesy: MSU Photo Services The men's soccer team travels to SLU for the 12th time in school history.
The 19th-ranked Missouri State men's soccer team (12-4-2) will face the Saint Louis University Billikens (14-6-0) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, November 19. Kickoff at Robert R. Hermann Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Opponent - Saint Louis enters the NCAA Tournament on a four-game winning streak and received an automatic bid after winning the Atlantic-10 conference tournament. The Billikens are led by Mike Roach, who has 10 goals and 22 points on the season.
The Series - The Billikens own a 8-0-3 all-time record against Missouri State. The Bears played SLU earlier this fall in an exhibition match on August 22 with the Billikens taking the 2-0 decision.
All-Time Results Game-by-Game 9/27/08 at #5 SLU L 0-3 9/26/06 at SLU L 0-1 10/6/04 at SLU L 2-3 9/13/02 at #24 SLU L 1-2 9/26/01 at #5 SLU L 1-2 9/23/00 at SLU T 1-1 (2OT) 9/9/99 at #2 SLU T 1-1 (2OT) 9/9/98 at #17 SLU L 1-2 11/23/97 at #14 SLU% L 0-2 9/12/97 at SLU T 1-1 (2OT) 9/28/88 at SLU L 0-4
%NCAA Tournament First Round
In the NCAA Tournament - Missouri State is 0-2-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears previous appearances in the NCAA Tournament occurred in 1997 (0-2 loss at #14 Saint Louis) and 1999 (1-2 loss at #16 UAB).
National Rankings - Missouri State is ranked No. 19 in the final regular season NSCAA National Rankings. It was the third consecutive week the Bears had received a top-25 nod. Missouri State was also ranked No. 19 in the Soccer America final regular season rankings and in this week's College Soccer News rankings (No. 28).
Coach Jon Leamy - Missouri State head coach Jon Leamy (Roanoke College, 1982) is 187-129-33 in his 18th season leading the Bears. Leamy was named MVC Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 1999. He led the Bears to NCAA appearances in 1997 and 1999 and received Midwest Region Coach of the Year both seasons. Leamy, associate head coach Micheal Seabolt and assistant coach David Stockton were named 2009 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Live Stats - Live stats will be provided by the host school and will be available at www.missouristatebears.com. Go to the men's soccer schedule page and click on the live stats icon next to Thursday's match.
Video - Video coverage of the Bears first round NCAA Tournament match at Saint Louis will be streamed over the internet. A direct link to the broadcast will be posted on MissouriStateBears.com once available.
Quick Kicks - Missouri State won its third outright regular season conference title this season on a 7-1-1 record in MVC play. The Bears' previous regular season titles were in 1997 (6-0-1) and 1999 (5-0-2).
- Senior defender Johannes Demarzi has 10 assists this season, the most in the Missouri Valley Conference. He currently ranks ninth in the country in assists and 11th in assists per game. Only three other players in Missouri State history have recorded more assists in one season, Jim Thwing in 1989 (14), Doug Lascody in 2004 (13) and Matt Caution in 1997 (11).
- Demarzi leads the team in points (16) and assists (10) for the second straight season. He is the only Bear in school history to lead the team in both categories in back-to-back seasons.
- Demarzi has either scored or assisted on 13 of the Bears 27 goals scored this season.
- Missouri State's defense has only allowed 14 goals on the season. That is the lowest season total in school history, tying the record of 14, set in 1998.
- Missouri State has defeated two ranked opponents on the road this season for the first time in school history. The Bears won at No. 6 Creighton, 1-0, on Sept. 19 and at No. 19 Drake, 2-1, on Oct. 17. Missouri State has beaten two ranked opponents in one season before, but never have both wins occurred on the road. Wins against two ranked opponents in one season occurred in 1997 (at #20 Tulsa, vs. #11 Creighton), 1998 (at #12 SMU, vs. #22 Bradley), 2000 (vs. #12 Washington, vs. #8 Creighton), 2002 (at #23 Tulsa, vs. #23 Bradley) and 2003 (vs. #6 SMU, at #19 Creighton).
- Heath Melugin and Paul Paradise each had a two-goal outing this season. The last time two Bears scored two goals in a game in the same season was 2006 when Danny May and Will Ziegahn each had a two goal game.
- Melugin has had a two-goal game in back-to-back seasons, the first Bear since Danny May in 2005 and 2006.
- Alex Riggs has eight shutouts and has only allowed 14 goals against, the second-best single season numbers in school history. His 0.76 goals against average is the third-best season total and his 12 wins are the fourth-most in a season by a keeper.
- Riggs ranks 31st in the nation with his 0.76 goals against average. His .821 save percentage is tied for 33rd in the country.
- Kyle Windmueller and Gerard Barbero have scored one goal apiece this season. Windmueller's was the game-winner over Oral Roberts (Oct. 14) and Barbero's won the game for the Bears in overtime against Drake (Nov. 1).
- Jordan Hoffman, Heath Melugin and Paul Paradise have each tallied two game-winning goals this season. Melugin also had two game-winners last season bringing his total to four in his career.
- The Bears senior defenders Johannes Demarzi, Ryan Hennessy and Nick Dryden have played together in every match of 2008 and 2009. Dryden missed two games in 2007 or the three would have patrolled the backline together for three consecutive seasons.
Courtesy: MSU Photo Services