(ST. LOUIS) – Senior Bobby Larkin assisted all four of Truman's goals, and a balanced Bulldog offense picked up a key in-state win at GLVC-foe Missouri-St. Louis on Thursday night, handing the Tritons a 4-1 setback.

 

Larkin (St. Louis, Mo., Parkway)'s first career four-assist game moved his season-total to eight, as his first helper set up Charlie Backus (St. Louis, Mo., CBC) in the 17^th minute to get Truman (5-2) on the board. Though Truman didn't score again in the first half, the Bulldogs outshot UMSL (4-5-1), 7-3, and had a 4-2 edge in shots on goal.

 

The Bulldogs then added insurance goals in a hurry, as Matt Kimball (Kirkwood, Mo., Kirkwood) notched his team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 56^th minute before Dan Meagher (Chesterfield, Mo., SLU High) followed with his second goal of the year less than three minutes later in the waning seconds of the 58^th minute.

 

UMSL broke the shutout in the 82^nd minute, but Tony Diepenbrock (St. Louis, Mo., DeSmet) scored his first collegiate goal on Larkin's fourth assist of the night with just more than one minute to play, giving Truman the 4-1 victory.

 

For the match, the Bulldogs took 15 shots to nine for UMSL, and keeper Tyler Knierim (Hartsburg, Mo., Southern Boone) stopped five of the six shots he faced in goal. Truman earned four corner kicks, two in each half.

 

It was the first match for the Bulldogs after being ranked third in the first official regional rankings of the season, released Tuesday by the NCAA. Midwestern (Texas) State and Incarnate Word (Texas) currently are ahead of the 'Dogs in the race for the postseason, as two teams from the South Central region qualify for the NCAA tournament.

 

Truman will play Upper Iowa University (6-4-2) at the Bulldog Soccer Park on Monday, Oct. 11. Match time is set for 2 pm.