Bruins Punch Ticket to Postseason with 2-2 Draw Wednesday Night Versus Evansville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a rollercoaster affair that ended 2-2 Wednesday night at E.S. Rose Park, the Belmont University men's soccer team drew the University of Evansville in the final Missouri Valley Conference regular season match to clinch a postseason spot.
 
With Wednesday evening's result, the Bruins (8-6-3, 3-4-1 MVC) secured the No. 6 seed for the 2023 MVC Men's Soccer Championship and will face third-seeded University of Illinois Chicago on the road Sunday afternoon in the opening round.
 
Returning to Nashville after back-to-back Valley road losses, Belmont found itself at a one-nil disadvantage in the first half before turning things around in the closing 45 minutes. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead in the second half with goals from sophomore forward Brock Kiper and graduate midfielder Jansen Wilson. However, a defensive mistake in the final minutes cost Belmont the lead as the visiting Purple Aces (4-8-4, 2-4-2 MVC) equalized the match prior to the definite whistle.
 
The first threatening chance for the Bruins came from the feet of Wilson in the seventh minute. Building from the defensive third, sophomore defender Dylan Steely played Wilson on the left flank. Combining with senior midfielder AJ Chastonay, Wilson received the ball back just within the 18-yard box and took a right-footed shot on the first touch and hit the front post.
 
In the 23rd minute, Evansville took the lead. Midfielder Jose Vivas played the ball to defender Tobias Bak on the right in Belmont's half. Bak placed a well-timed cross to forward Kai Phillip, who was left alone in the six-yard-box and finished with a determined tap-in.
 
The remainder of the first half saw a balanced game with few chances from either side.
 
As the second stanza kicked off, the Bruins responded.
 
In the 49th minute, Wilson picked up the ball in Belmont's half and danced around two defenders before driving down the line on the left side and earning a free kick in the final third. On the clearance of Wilson's set piece, junior midfielder Rubyn Singh Gill went for goal, but his attempt was saved by the Purple Aces' Jacob Madden.
 
Moments later, junior defender Alex Clayton received the ball at midfield and drove forward, chipping it into the box for senior forward Ayden von Essen. With a right-footed touch, von Essen served Kiper who finished with the laces to even the match.

2H | 54'

GOOOAAAL ! ! !@kiperbrock scores his team-leading sixth goal of the season from @AydenQVonEssen and Alex Clayton? ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/wexuYuWxJU

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) November 2, 2023

With the score, the Bruins accelerated looking for their second goal.
 
Belmont won the ball back in Evansville's half in the 85th minute when von Essen received a pass from Kiper and was fouled outside of the penalty area after a pair of forward touches. On the free kick, Wilson tapped the ball to senior midfielder Michael Saunders who sent it right back. Previously denied by the woodwork, Wilson curved the ball fiercely into the top-right corner to put the Bruins in front.

THE LEAD!!!!!!@jansen_wilson from @MikeySaunders15 in the 85th ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/YaYgOcTsk0

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) November 2, 2023

However, the Purple Aces promptly reacted and made themselves dangerous with a trio of corners in quick succession and a shot by defender Nalu Wagner, which was punched away by Grant Calvert.
 
Despite Belmont's defensive efforts, Evansville midfielder Carlos Barcia played defender Audun Engen Vik who broke free inside the box and tied the match in the 89th minute.
 
For the second consecutive year both the Bruins and the Purple Aces' postseason fate has been determined with a draw in the regular season finale.
 
Of Note
- Entering the match on a three-game home winning streak, Belmont extends its unbeaten streak at Rose Park to four.
- The Bruins improve to 3-11-3 all-time versus Evansville.
- Belmont scored its first goals since Oct. 17 versus Bellarmine. The Bruins had been shut out in their previous two outings.
- Belmont has reached its conference's postseason tournament for six-straight seasons.
- The Bruins have gotten a result in 28 of their 30 matches at Rose Park, outscoring their opponents 46-19 during that stretch.
- Since the start of the 2018 season, Belmont is 25-8-10 at home.
- Kiper's second-half equalizer was his team-leading sixth goal of the year.
- Wilson's go-ahead goal was his fifth score of the season. He leads the Bruins with 15 points this fall.
- Saunders' assist on Wilson's goal was his seventh of the year and Belmont-best 14th of his career.
- Earning an assist on Kiper's goal along with von Essen, Clayton notched his first career assist.

?? | Graduate midfielder @jansen_wilson shares his thoughts following the Bruins' 2-2 draw with Evansville Wednesday night at ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/g7fGoJxdTa

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) November 2, 2023

Up Next
The Bruins' MVC Championship first-round matchup with the Flames of UIC is slated for 1 p.m. at Flames Field in Chicago. The postseason match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men's Soccer on Facebook – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.