SEARCY – For the Harding men's soccer team, Thursday's road contest against Southwest Baptist at 2 p.m., in Bolivar, Mo., could be the turning point of the season.

Harding is 4-7-2 overall and has struggled in its last four games. The Bisons are winless during that stretch and have been outscored 10-3. But despite the recent difficulties, Harding is still within striking distance of a spot in the MIAA Conference Tournament.

The Bisons are currently in fifth place in the MIAA with a 2-3-0 record, and has six points in the standings (three for each win, one for each tie). Harding trails Truman State, who is 3-1-1 (10 pts.), by four points with five conference games remaining. A victory Thursday would leave the Bisons just one point behind.

Southwest Baptist is effectively out of the race for the MIAA Tournament. The Bearcats, who are 2-9-0 overall and 0-5-0 in conference play, opened their season with a 3-1 victory over Delta State before losing its next nine games. Southwest Baptist ended the skid in its last game with a 2-1 home victory over Central Baptist on Tuesday.

The Bearcats have scored just 11 goals in 11 games, and only one of those goals has come in the first half. Freshman forward Karl Dupont and junior forward Kaleb Romero lead the team with three goals each.

For Harding, the game will be the third of four straight on the road. It is the second of three straight at home for Southwest Baptist. The Bisons have two road wins this season but have dropped their last three games away from home. Southwest Baptist has won once in five home games.

Harding and Southwest Baptist are meeting for the third time overall but the first since 2001. The Bearcats won the first meeting between the teams 4-0 in Bolivar in 2000. Harding answered that in 2001 with a 5-0 victory in Searcy.