Soccer Hosts Omaha Tuesday

Bradley Soccer seeks to even all-time series against Summit League championship contender Omaha

Jason Lesch splits defenders vs SIUE Oct. 8, 2016

Bob Hunt - Photographer

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Soccer 10/17/2016 7:51:00 AM

PEORIA, IL - Bradley Soccer will look to snap a 6-game winless streak (0-4-2) Tuesday night when the Braves host Summit League challenger Omaha in a 7 p.m. non-conference clash at Shea Stadium. While the Braves (2-9-3) are suffering through a 3-game scoreless streak, Omaha (6-4-3) has recorded three shutouts while winning four of its last five games and the Mavericks travel to Peoria riding consecutive shutout wins against Eastern Illinois (2-0) and Fort Wayne (1-0).

GAME DETAILS
Omaha Mavericks (6-4-3) at Bradley Braves (2-9-3)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Peoria, IL | Shea Stadium

COACHES
Bradley
Jim DeRose (Johnson State '89)
Career Record: 223-166-43 (21st season)
at Bradley: Same
vs. Omaha: 1-2-0

Omaha
Jason Mims (Saint Louis '99)
Career Record: 37-45-11 (6th season)
at Omaha: Same
vs. Bradley: 2-1-0

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Omaha leads 2-1-0 | at Bradley: Tied 1-1-0
Tuesday's game will be the fourth meeting in a series that dates back to Bradley's 3-2 win Sept. 2, 2012 at Shea Stadium ... All three previous meetings have been decided by one goal and each of the last two meetings went to double overtime with the Mavericks pulling out a 1-0 win Oct. 20, 2014 in Peoria and a 3-2 victory Sept. 19, 2015 in Omaha ... The Mavs rallied late for that win last season, netting the tying goal in the 87th minute and the game winner with just one second remaining in the second overtime (109:59).

DEFENSE REMAINS STOUT
Despite the season-long offensive slump, Bradley's defense has remained tough in 2016 ... Bradley has allowed more than one goal in just five of its 14 games to date and the Braves have surrendered just seven goals during their current 6-game winless streak (0-4-2) ... While the Braves surrendered seven goals in the two games during Evansville's ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic Sept. 9-11, Bradley has allowed just 12 goals total in the other 12 games this season ... The 0.95 goals against average in the 12 games outside of Evansville would rank fourth in The Valley this season and would rank as the fifth-best season GAA in program history, surpassed only by the 1998 MVC championship season (0.68) and three NCAA Tournament seasons - 2005 (0.81), 2002 (0.83) and 2011 (0.93).

HOME GOALS
Through the first six games at Shea Stadium this season, Bradley (3) and its opponents (4) have combined to tally just seven goals ... Shea Stadium saw a total of 15 goals scored in Bradley's nine games last season for the lowest combined goal-scoring total in program history.

TIGHT GAMES
Although Bradley brings a 2-9-3 record into Tuesday's clash with Omaha, the Braves have remained in virtually every game this season ... Ten of Bradley's 14 games have been decided by no more than one goal and the Braves were winners (2-0 vs. Western Illinois) in one of the four games decided by more than one goal ... Bradley is 1-6-3 in games decided by one goal this season ... During the current 6-game winless streak, Milwaukee (2-0) is the only team to outscore the Braves by more than one goal.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Of the 27 players to see the field for the Braves this season, 18 are underclassmen - 11 freshmen and seven sophomores ... During Saturday's 1-0 loss to Central Arkansas, Bradley played 12 underclassmen - seven freshmen and five sophomores ... While Bradley's lone senior field players - Jason Lesch and Alex Garcia - have combined to play 1,866 minutes this season, the 11 freshmen have combined to log 3,284 minutes.

WINNING DROUGHT
As the Braves prepare for Tuesday night's game against Omaha, Bradley is looking to snap a season-long, 6-game winless (0-4-2) streak ... The Braves have scored just two goals in the six games since their 2-0 win against Western Illinois Sept. 20 at Shea Stadium ... The winless streak is Bradley's longest within a single season since the Braves lost eight in a row from Sept. 30-Oct. 28, 2009 during a 6-11-1 campaign ... Bradley rebounded from that 2009 season by winning at least 10 games in each of the next four years, accumulating a 50-28-11 (.624) record with two MVC Tournament titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances from 2010-13.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Alex Garcia: MF; 5' 8"; Senior

#22 Jason Lesch: MF/F; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#10 Alex Garcia
: 5' 8"; Senior
: MF

#22 Jason Lesch
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior
: MF/F

Soccer Hosts Omaha Tuesday

Bradley Soccer seeks to even all-time series against Summit League championship contender Omaha

Players Mentioned

#10 Alex Garcia

#22 Jason Lesch

Players Mentioned

#10 Alex Garcia

#22 Jason Lesch