Nov. 16, 2009

2009 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Bracket

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis learned Monday that it will host Missouri State on Thursday, Nov. 19, in the first round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. Game time at Robert R. Hermann Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Saint Louis (14-6-0) earned an automatic bid in the 48-team field after capturing the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Nov. 15. Missouri State (12-4-2) earned an at-large bid after winning its first outright regular-season conference title with a 7-1-1 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. SLU and Missouri State did not meet in the regular season, but the Billikens claimed a 2-0 victory against the Bears in exhibition play.

"We are happy to be in the field of 48 and pleased to be playing at Hermann Stadium in the first round," SLU head coach Dan Donigan said. "It's going to be a great challenge. You can throw out the fact that we beat Missouri State in the exhibition season because neither team will be the same when we step on the field Thursday. Hopefully we come out and play the way we are capable of playing. The guys have a bounce to their step, and rightfully so. We are ready to get going on Thursday."

The winner of the Missouri State/Saint Louis matchup travels to Tulsa, Okla., on Sunday, Nov. 22, to face No. 8-seed Tulsa (13-4-2) in second-round action.

This is the Billikens' fourth straight and 46th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Missouri State is making its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In the Bears' first appearance in 1997, the Billikens eliminated MSU in the first round with a 2-0 victory in St. Louis. SLU leads the overall series 8-0-3.