PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley freshman midfielder Grant Campbell (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) made his first career goal a big one, scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 51st minute and propelling Bradley (8-7-3, 4-1-1 MVC) to a 2-1 upset of #15 Creighton (11-4-3, 4-1-1) in front of 1,577 Homecoming fans Saturday night at Shea Stadium.
With the win, Bradley tied Creighton for the 2006 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship and earned the No. 1 seed for next week's State Farm MVC Tournament, which will be played at Shea Stadium. By gaining a share of the 2006 Valley title, Bradley becomes just the third team to win consecutive league crowns. Creighton owned the Valley regular-season championship from 1992 to 1996 and SMU won three straight titles from 2000 to 2002. Bradley has now won three Valley championships, taking both the 1998 and 2005 titles in outright fashion.
In a reversal of the regular-season game two years ago between the two teams at Shea Stadium, Creighton dominated the stat sheet Saturday, but struggled to get off a good scoring chance. The Bluejays finished with a 30-7 advantage in shots, equalling the third-highest total of shots ever allowed by Bradley, in addition to a Bradley opponent record 18 corner kicks. Bradley junior goalkeeper Mike Haynes required only six saves to earn the victory, however. Two years ago, Bradley outshot Creighton 24-6 at Shea Stadium, but current Bluejay goalkeeper Matt Allen made 14 saves in a 1-0 victory.
Although Creighton dominated possession in the first half, Bradley had the best chance to get on the board first in the 37th minute when junior forward Ken Hickman hit a side volley off the cross bar. The ball rebounded back to Stephen Brust near the top of the 18, but his header was collected by Allen. The Braves got a much better result on a rebound four minutes later, however, when Noah Sharpsteen hit a low shot that scooted past Allen, only to bounce back off the left post. This time the ball fell right to junior midfielder Drew DeGurian, who knocked the loose ball back into the empty net for his fourth goal of the year at 40:42. DeGurian had missed the previous four games with a thigh injury and had subbed into the game just six minutes earlier.
Bradley gained a much-needed insurance goal shortly after the half with a perfect touch. Having received a free kick from about 30 yards out and just right of midfield, Teddy Anderson touched the ball back to Campbell, who appeared to be lofting a free ball to the front of the box. The ball continued to carry, however, and snuck under the cross bar at the top left corner for a 2-0 Bradley lead at 50:43.
The Bluejays continued to rack up the shots and corner kicks in the second half, but Seth Sinovic's goal in the 74th minute was Creighton's only breakthrough. Sinovic made an uncontested sprint down the left flank, collecting a pass in stride from Byron Dacy and beating Haynes with a shot inside the right post. After earning his first goal of the year, Sinovic had two of Creighton's better chances to pull even, but sent a rocket from the outside the box over the top and clean header from 12 yards just wide.
The State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament will begin with quarterfinal action Wednesday at Shea Stadium. Third-seeded Missouri State will face No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois in the first game at 5 p.m., followed by #4 Drake versus #5 seed Evansville in the 7:30 contest. As the No. 2 seed Creighton will face the Missouri State/Eastern Illinois winner in Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal, followed by the top-seeded Braves versus the Drake/Evansville winner in Friday's 7:30 semifinal. The championship game will be played Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. at Shea Stadium and will be aired live on FSN Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
