Creighton and its fans celebrate a 1-0 win over Missouri State in the MVC Tournament Championship Match (Mike Spomer/WBR)
Creighton clinched the Missouri Valley title Sunday with an easy win over an overmatched Missouri State team. Jose Ribas scored the game’s only goal just before halftime, striking a bouncing ball and slotting it to the far post past a diving Bear goalkeeper. The Bluejays kept the pressure on throughout the game, giving MSU only a handful of relatively dangerous opportunities.
The combination of Jose Gomez, Bruno Castro, and Jose Ribas proved to be too much for the opposition, who had no answers for Creighton’s depth and speed. The White and Blue struggled with passing and finishing in the final third, a byproduct of Missouri State’s embarrassing ten-behind-the-ball strategy. Even so, there was never any doubt that the Jays would get a goal eventually, putting nearly constant pressure on MSU’s keeper Trevor Spangenberg, who deserves credit for keeping his team in the game. The Creighton defense, as usual, showed no signs of distress. Tyler Polak and Eric Miller played major roles in the Bluejay attack, moving freely along the wings–hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Solid wing backs who can carry the ball will be a major component if the Bluejays hope to reach the next level.
With this win, Creighton receives an automatic bid and a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament. The top four seed ensures a first-round bye and home-field advantage until the semifinals of the College Cup if the Bluejays continue to advance.