ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Missouri Baptist University men's soccer team pulled off a major upset on Saturday afternoon, defeating the eighth-ranked William Penn University Statesmen. Despite managing only nine total shots, three of which were on target, the Spartans made the most of their chances, scoring twice to secure the victory.
Matthew O'Reilly set the tone early for the Spartans, netting his second goal of the season just five minutes into the match to give Missouri Baptist University an early lead and energize the Senior Day crowd.
The match proved to be a physical and hard-fought battle, with tempers flaring on both sides. In total, the teams combined for nearly 50 fouls, eight yellow cards, and two red cards in a contest that tested each side.
In the second half, William Penn's Rob Stoop found the back of the net in the 74th minute to level the score briefly. However, the Spartans quickly answered, as Adel Smajlovic delivered the game-winner just four minutes later, sealing MBU's 2–1 victory over the eighth-ranked Statesmen.
Goalkeeper Evan Baisch anchored the Spartan defense, earning his fourth win of the season and his first against a ranked opponent. Baisch recorded four saves in the match and now holds an impressive .821 save percentage on the year.
The Spartans will be back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Marshall, Missouri, to take on receiving votes Missouri Valley College at 7:30 p.m. in their second-to-last regular-season match.
