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Bradley University Athletics

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1
Bradley BRA (2-7-2, 1-6-1)
3
Winner Missouri St. MSU (10-1-0, 7-1-0)
Bradley BRA
(2-7-2, 1-6-1)
1
Final
3
Missouri St. MSU
(10-1-0, 7-1-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Bradley BRA 1 0 1
Missouri St. MSU 3 0 3
Rasmus Smidtslund possession vs Missouri State
Jill Catus

Top-Seeded Bears Rally to Down Bradley in MVC Semis

#9 Missouri State answered an early Bradley goal with three tallies in the first half for a 3-1 win Tuesday night

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Game Recap: Soccer | | Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications
SPRINGFIELD, MO – Upset-minded Bradley (2-7-2) jumped on top early, but regular-season champion and ninth-ranked Missouri State answered with a trio of goals involving Nicolo Mulatero to earn a 3-1 victory against the Braves in the semifinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Championship Tuesday night at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium.
 
The Bears (10-1-0) advance to the championship game and will host No. 3 seed Loyola Chicago (7-3-2) Saturday afternoon at Allison South Stadium in a battle for the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Providing early pressure, Bradley got the scoring started in the fifth minute off a throw in sequence in its attacking end.  Freshman Jake Schoffstall made the throw from the right sideline, finding graduate forward Gerit Wintermeyer in the penalty area.  Wintermeyer, who entered the game as the only player on Bradley's roster with a postseason point (goal or assist) in his career, freed himself enough to fire a shot from about eight yards out.  MSU keeper Michael Creek deflected the shot, but sophomore midfielder Rasmus Smitdslund connected on the loose ball to give the Braves a 1-0 lead at 4:11.  
Missouri State did not need much time to pull even as Mulatero set up Aadne Bruseth for the equalizer at 9:08.  The Bears then took hold of the game late in the first half, when Mulatero scored on a counterattack at 37:49, then set up Jesus Barea for the insurance goal just 84 seconds later at 39:13.
 
Missouri State finished the game with a 19-8 advantage in shots, but neither team could find the net again the rest of the night.  Graduate transfer keeper Bryce Logan made seven saves for the Braves, while Creek saved Bradley's only other shot on goal.
 
Tuesday's loss will end Bradley's COVID-delayed season.  The Braves started five freshmen and four sophomores alongside Wintermeyer and Logan Tuesday.  Two more freshmen and two sophomores were among the team's six reserves, as 13 of the 17 players who took the field for the Braves Tuesday will enter the 2021 fall season with at least three years of eligibility.

 
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Players Mentioned

Rasmus Smidtslund

#13 Rasmus Smidtslund

D
5' 11"
Sophomore
Laajasalon Pallo and Tikkurilan Palloseura
Gerit Wintermeyer

#9 Gerit Wintermeyer

F
6' 3"
Graduate Student
FC Kaiserslautern
Jake Schoffstall

#26 Jake Schoffstall

D
6' 0"
Freshman
Elite SC
Bryce Logan

#0 Bryce Logan

GK
6' 2"
Senior
Crossfire Premier

Players Mentioned

Rasmus Smidtslund

#13 Rasmus Smidtslund

5' 11"
Sophomore
Laajasalon Pallo and Tikkurilan Palloseura
D
Gerit Wintermeyer

#9 Gerit Wintermeyer

6' 3"
Graduate Student
FC Kaiserslautern
F
Jake Schoffstall

#26 Jake Schoffstall

6' 0"
Freshman
Elite SC
D
Bryce Logan

#0 Bryce Logan

6' 2"
Senior
Crossfire Premier
GK