With the soccer season heading into the final stretch, Bradley soccer is looking to keep their season going with postseason play.
With the addition of Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Northern Illinois, the Missouri Valley Conference Championship will work differently this season. Increasing from six teams last season to nine this year, only six teams will be able to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
After gaining their first conference win earlier this week, Bradley sits at the bottom of the Valley with one win, or three points. For those unfamiliar with the soccer points system, one win equals three points, a tie is one point and a loss is worth zero.
With eight conference games this season and 24 points up for grabs, Bradley still has the chance to gain nine points from the remaining three games. Those games are against UIC (No. 3 seed) at home, Evansville (No. 7 seed) away and Western Michigan (No. 2 seed) back in Peoria.
Since Bradley earned their first conference win against Drake, the Braves would still need to beat Evansville and earn a tie against either UIC or Western Michigan to give them a good shot at the playoffs.
With two of their games against the top half of the MVC taking place at home, the Braves will have to defend their turf. Bradley’s home performances have brought up a couple of questions this season, as they have yet to win a match at home.
Despite coming up winless in six home contests, the Braves have only lost two games at Shea Stadium against conference joint leader Missouri State and MVC newcomer Bowling Green.
The team’s results away from home have been kinder. While most teams struggle in road games, the Braves found their way to a 5-2-1 record away from Shea.
Their next big test is against UIC, a team that Bradley remembers for all the wrong reasons. Last season, the Flames visited Shea Stadium and put six past the Braves after Bradley took a two-goal lead heading into the half.
This season, UIC has become one of the best teams in the Valley, making appearances in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 poll. UIC returns to Peoria on Oct. 22 and looks to recover from this week’s 3-1 loss against Bowling Green.
The Braves will have to stop one of the most productive forwards in the conference. Junior Bart Muns comes into the matchup with seven goals and five assists and looks to add to his tally against the Braves. On the defensive side, UIC comes in with the fourth least amount of goals against, only allowing 17 goals throughout this season. Credit should be given to graduate goalkeeper Oren Asher, who has recorded four shutouts so far.
The Braves have only received two more goals in play this season than the Flames; however, UIC has been far more clinical in front of goal, scoring 28 goals to Bradley’s 16.
With the season at its midpoint of conference play and the Braves in a 1-4 hole, Bradley will have to defend their home turf against some of the best teams in the Valley. Their postseason will depend on it.
