UNI soccer set for a rematch with Belmont in MVC Tournament

UNI Soccer vs. Belmont

2 p.m. | Oct. 27
Chicago | Flames Field (1,200)
ESPN+ | Conor Clingen: Play-by-play

CHICAGO -- The Panthers enter the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament looking to improve their win record to over .500.

UNI will face a very familiar opponent on Thursday afternoon as they face a rematch with Belmont. The Panthers played the Bruins only two days ago with just three and a half days in between the team's last match. Neither team found the back of the net in the 90-minute contest on Sunday as UNI was able to keep Belmont off the box score. The Panthers will look to break their game-scoreless streak on Thursday.

THE PANTHERS:
- For the first time during the regular season, UNI was able to keep a team from attempting a shot. On Sunday afternoon the Panther defense kept Belmont from recording a true shot over 90 minutes. The only other time in program history UNI's defense has been able to achieve such a feat was an exhibition game in 2003. The Panthers kept Mount Mercy off the score sheet while also scoring 15 goals on Aug. 20, 2003.
- This will be the third season in a row for the Panthers to play in the MVC Tournament for postseason play. UNI has a record of 5-12-2 in the tournament with two losses in the past two seasons.
- UNI will be the sixth seed in the tournament this year. This is the fifth year that the Panthers have been the sixth seed in the MVC Tournament. UNI has a record of 1-3 in the MVC Tournament as a six seed with their lone win coming in 2015 against Missouri State.
- The last time UNI and tournament opponent Belmont were in postseason play together was over 20 years ago in 2000. Both UNI and Belmont made the postseason in 2000 but did not play against one another as each team lost in the first round.

THE BRUINS:
- Belmont ends the regular season with a 5-5-6 overall record and a 3-4-3 conference record. The Bruins earned wins in the MVC season over Murray State, Illinois State, and Evansville while blanking UIC, Indiana State, and the Panthers.
- The Bruins have appeared in six conference tournaments since Head Coach Heather Henson took over the program in 2011. Belmont's postseason action includes the NCAA Tournament in 2019 after winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Bruins current senior class was a part of that championship team and is looking to win their first championship in the Valley.
- Belmont's matchup with UNI in the tournament is one of two first-round matches that will feature teams that played against one another in the regular-season finale. This occurrence has only happened six times since 2009 with the team that won the regular-season finale winning the tournament meeting five of six times.
- The Bruins ended the season with six ties, helping to set a regular season record for most ties from MVC teams. Overall the Valley had 15 ties in 2022 with five teams contributing multiple ties during the conference portion of the season.

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