Harding Men's Soccer
Harding (4-8-3, 4-6-1) vs. Upper Iowa (9-6-2, 5-5-1)
Location: Fayette, Iowa
Time: Saturday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m.
Series: Upper Iowa leads 2-1-0
Coaches: Harding - Odie Guzman (14-27-8, 3rd Season); Upper Iowa – Jason Carlson (16-13-4, 2nd Season at UIA; 24-20-6, 3rd Season as a head coach)
Live Stats/Video: Available through a link on HardingSports.com
Saturday's game between Harding and Upper Iowa will be the Bisons' final regular-season game as a member of the MIAA. Next season, Harding will join Ouachita Baptist, Southern Nazarene, and Oklahoma Baptist in the first season of Great American Conference men's soccer action. Despite the upcoming, conference realignment, Harding would like to make one more splash before leaving the MIAA.
A victory over Upper Iowa on Saturday would tie the Bisons and Peacocks for fourth place in the MIAA, both teams with identical 5-6-1 records. Upper Iowa won the first meeting between the teams 2-1 on Oct. 2 in Searcy. The tiebreakers in the MIAA are 1) head-to-head, 2) goal differential in head-to-head meetings, and 3) head-to-head away goals. The simplest way for Harding to reach the tournament is to win the game by two goals or more, but if Harding wins the game 2-1, Upper Iowa will advance with a better MIAA goal differential.
Harding took a 1-0 lead in the first meeting between the two schools. Bison senior Jacob Stevens scored a penalty kick goal in the 27th minute, but Harding could not hold the lead. Leandro Pena scored two goals in a 13-minute span in the second half to give the Peacocks the victory.
Last season's matchup in Fayette was also a tight contest. Harding led 3-1 at halftime, but Upper Iowa came back with two goals in regulation and Pena scored the game-winner with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime.
Harding could have made it slightly easier for itself to make the postseason with a victory Thursday over Lindenwood, but the Bisons suffered their worst shutout loss of the season. The Lions scored three times in the first half and defeated the Bisons 5-0. A win in the game would have left Harding needing only a victory against Upper Iowa to make the MIAA Tournament.
Upper Iowa tied No. 22 Fort Hays State 1-1 on Thursday in Fayette. A win in that game would have clinched the fourth tournament spot for the Peacocks. Fort Hays took the lead with a 78th-minute goal, but Upper Iowa's Johnny McBeth scored in the 88th minute to force overtime. Upper Iowa outshot Fort Hays 8-4 in the two overtime periods but could not score.
Whichever team prevails Saturday will advance to the MIAA Tournament beginning Nov. 6 in Kansas City, Mo. For Harding, it would be a nice reward for its time in the conference.
