Box Score

Although Eastern men’s soccer was able to dominate the shot count Friday night against Bradley, they were not able to dominate the scoreboard and lost to Bradley 2-0 in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

The top-seeded Braves (13-5-3) defeated Eastern for the second time this season even though the fifth-seeded Panthers (12-6-3) out shot Bradley 22-5. Bradley’s other win was a 2-1 victory on Nov. 3 at Lakeside Field.

Despite having 22 shots, only four Eastern shots were on goal.

“We had a lot of near misses,” Eastern head men’s soccer coach Adam Howarth said. “We just couldn’t zero in on the goal. We dominated play and possession but couldn’t get it done. Sometimes in this game you can outplay a team and lose.”

Howarth said the Panthers had a number of near goals in the first half by freshman forward Alex Harrison, who finished with six shots, and junior defender Adam Gartner also contributed.

“We huffed and puffed, but we couldn’t get it done,” Howarth said.

The Panthers gave up an early goal in the third minute when Bradley freshman forward Paul Tracy knocked the ball in from ten yards out off a throw-in. Senior defender Joe Donho and senior midfielder Drew DeGurian assisted on the goal.

The Braves converted a second goal in the 85th minute when freshman midfielder Packy Amundsen flicked the ball in off a throw-in. Senior forward Stephen Burst and Degurian assisted on the goal.

“They were both scrappy goals off of long throw-ins,” Howarth said.

Howarth said the early goal was a huge difference in the game.

“(In the) first half in the first five we came out flat,” Howarth. “After that, they sat back and didn’t want to play and denied us from scoring.”

Howarth said the Braves were trying to make the game much more about running.

“They sent the ball a lot over the top,” Howarth said. “They were trying to make it into a track meet.”

Eastern senior midfielder Mick Galeski and senior midfielder Brad Earl were named to the MVC All-tournament team.

The Panthers were shut out for only the third time this season. The loss was the team’s final match this season, and he team’s 12-6-3 record was the best for a Howarth-coached team since his first year in 2000.

Second-seeded Creighton defeated fourth-seeded Evansville 2-0 in the other semifinal Friday night.

Creighton and Bradley will play for the MVC Tournament Championship at 1 p.m. Sunday in Omaha at Morrison Stadium

Eastern honors

All-Tournament honors

-Senior midfielder Mick Galeski

-Senior midfielder Brad Earl

All-Conference honors

First Team

-Junior forward Brad Peters

-Galeski

Second Team

-Junior defender Adam Gartner

Honorable Mention

-Earl

All-Freshman Team

-Forward Alex Harrison