The Basics
Drake men's soccer is set to begin play in the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament this weekend. The second-seeded Bulldogs are set to host the seventh-seeded Bradley Braves on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 12 p.m.
 
Sunday's match will mark the third meeting between Drake and the Braves this season. The two teams split the earlier matches with Bradley taking a 1-0 decision in Peoria on Oct. 5 and Drake earned a 2-0 result in Des Moines on Oct. 19.
 
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake enters the weekend with a 7-3-4 overall record and a 5-2-1 mark in MVC action. The Bulldogs outplayed their lowly preseason expectations after earning the fewest points (11) and finishing at the bottom of the MVC preseason poll. Drake enjoyed a three-game winning streak in the middle portion of the season with wins at UIC (9/17), versus SIUE (10/1), and at Bradley (10/5). The Bulldogs ended the regular season with an upswing in momentum after earning a 1-1 draw at 16th-ranked Missouri State and dominating UIC 3-1 in the home finale.
 
AJ Franklin has been the Bulldogs' offensive catalyst this season with team-highs in points (18), shots (39), shots on goal (18), goals (8), and game-winning goals (4). Franklin ranks among the top 10 on the MVC stat sheet in all those categories.
 
Other key offensive factors for Drake include Englishmen Sam Thornton and Louis Yuill. Thornton leads the team with four assists while also scoring five goals, Drake's second-most. Yuill is the third Bulldog with multiple scores with two goals and has also logged a pair of assists.
 
Defensively, Drake's defense ranks second in the league with just 0.86 goals allowed per match. Defenders Ryder Barrett, Declan Watters, and Brennan Rzewuski contribute to Drake's staunch opposition. Goalkeeper Jonathan Burke has been a standout in goal for the Bulldogs with 59 saves, the second-most in the conference, and just 12 goals allowed. Five of Burke's seven wins have also come in shutout fashion.
 
Tournament Breakdown
Drake and Bradley, along with the remainder of the MVC field, will be chasing top-seeded Missouri State. The Bears earned their fourth-straight regular season valley championship and will host the semifinal and final rounds of the tournament.
 
Drake's appearance marks their 27th berth in the MVC Tournament. The Bulldogs have won posted a historical record of 15-22-2 in the MVC Tournament with 16 semifinal appearances and two tournament championships.
 
Bradley has had increased success in the MVC Tournament with a 22-18-7 record in 25 appearances. The Braves have reached the semifinal round 21 times, the title game nine times, and have captured three MVC Tournament crowns.
 
Scouting Bradley
Bradley enters the MVC Tournament with a 4-10-3 overall record and 1-6-1 record in MVC play. The Braves were selected to finish in the middle of the pack in the preseason poll but fell down the standings and settled into last place at the end of the regular season. The Braves failed to record a conference victory after beating Drake 1-0 on Oct. 5. Bradley played to two ties and dropped three MVC contests in that stretch. The Braves did end their regular season schedule with a 2-1 win over Incarnate Word in non-conference play on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
 
Bradley boasts a balanced offensive attack with over a dozen point scorers. The Braves are led by Pepe Mellado with seven points on two goals and three assists, both tied for team-highs. Patrick Fishburne and Kaloyan Somov also lead the roster with two goals apiece. Francesco Pettinaroli is knotted with Mellado for the team lead in assists with three.
 
Nick Burke has been the primary keeper for Bradley this season. The New Zealand native has allowed 21 goals with 66 saves and two shutouts this season.

Up Next
If Bradley upsets Drake on Sunday, the Braves will take on top-seeded Missouri State in the next round of the MVC Tournament. If the Bulldogs take down Bradley, Drake will face either UIC, Belmont, Evansville, or SIUE in a neutral site semifinal match on Thursday, Nov. 10.