The University of Evansville men’s soccer team is headed to the NCAA Tournament.
The Purple Aces defeated 3-seed Bowling Green 3-2 in overtime to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Saturday at Missouri State. It’s the program’s first MVC title since 1996 and the 12th overall NCAA tournament berth.
5-seed UE (11-6-3) required an impressive week to earn this championship. The Aces reversed two regular season losses against nationally ranked opponents, Western Michigan and Missouri State, before battling from a one-goal deficit against Bowling Green.
“We believed all season,” UE coach Robbe Tarver told the ESPN broadcast postgame. “It makes me think about the history of this program. This has been a long time coming. A lot of blood, sweat and tears for all of the past players, ancestors as we call them. The pride to wear Evansville across our chest and restore this program back to where it should be.”
Kai Phillip put Evansville on the board in the 30th minute on a left-foot finish following a pass from Nacho Diaz. Bowling Green (12-6-2) took a 2-1 lead by halftime with two goals in 10 minutes. Baraka Tarleton found the equalizer with 11 minutes remaining, finishing a loose ball in front of the net following a UE free kick.
The winner came with less than two minutes remaining in the first overtime period. A Jacopo Fedrizzi corner kick was headed into the net by a Bowling Green defender for an own goal.
This was the Aces’ third MVC championship appearance in four seasons.
Evansville last played in the NCAA Tournament in 1996, losing 4-1 at Indiana in the opening round. The NCAA selection show will be broadcast at NCAA.com on Monday beginning at noon CST.
