Men's Soccer Holds Off Mount Mercy For Homecoming Win

Marshall, Mo., (Oct. 24, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's soccer teams hosted Mount Mercy (Iowa) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader inside Volney C. Ashford Stadium to open Homecoming weekend.  The No. 5 women's team built up an early lead and earned a 7-0 win.  The men's team held off the Mustangs late for a 2-1 victory.

The men's game began with the two teams trading possession through much of play in the first half.  Missouri Valley created the better of possession, as the team got off a total of three shots and added two corner kick attempts in the half.  Mount Mercy could not break down the MVC defense, and was held to no shots going into halftime.  The teams were tied at 0-0.

The second half began with more offense by Missouri Valley, as the first two shots on goal came past the 55-minute mark.  The attempts from Sophomore Forward Felipe Delcorco (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Sophomore Forward Oliver Baladi (Frederikssund, Denmark) were both saved by the Mustang keeper to keep the game scores.  With 63-minutes gone in the contest, the Vikings eventually found the game's first goal, as Baladi assists on the shot by Sophomore Defender Shosei Watanabe (Tokyo, Japan) to send MVC in front, 1-0.  Senior Goalkeeper Vicente Benitez Delgado (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) made his first save with less than 18-minute remaining in the contest.  Missouri Valley added to its lead nine minutes later, as Sophomore Midfielder Alexander Ulmen (Lund, Sweden) assisted on a goal from Senior Forward Taiga Matsumoto (Nara, Japan), to make it a 2-0 score.  The Vikings were eventually awarded a penalty kick, in the final seven minutes, but the attempt was saved.  Mount Mercy continued to pressure late in the game, and eventually drew a foul in the MVC box to earn a penalty kick.  The Mustang attempt went into goal, to cut the team's deficit in half with less than three minutes remaining.  However, Missouri Valley finished out the rest of the game, and secured a 2-1 win.

Watanabe scored his first goal of the season, and Matsumoto added his fourth goal and second game-winning goal.  Baladi and Ulmen both added their first assists.  Benitez Delgado made one save in goal.  Missouri Valley held a 13-3 advantage in shots and earned four corner kicks.

The win moves Missouri Valley to 5-6-3 overall and 3-5-2 in the Heart.  Mount Mercy falls to 7-5-4 on the season and 4-4-3 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking soccer teams will host Missouri Baptist for a Senior Night doubleheader, Tuesday, inside Volney C. Ashford Stadium.  Women's game starts at 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.