The 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Championship is all set, and this will be an exciting year! This marks the third season for men’s soccer in the OVC, and for the first time, the championship will take place at Lindenwood University. Six teams out of eight are competing, showcasing the growing popularity of the sport in the region.
Lindenwood, the regular-season champion, finished strong with a record of 6-2-2. They earned the top seed and will skip straight to the semifinals on November 12. HCU, with a record of 5-3-2, secured the second seed, also getting a bye to the semifinals.
The first round matches on November 9 will feature No. 3 seed Liberty facing off against No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois. In another match, No. 4 seed SIUE will take on No. 5 seed Western Illinois. These games are sure to be thrilling.
The final championship match is scheduled for November 15 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
Eastern Illinois has made its mark as a competitive team, qualifying for the tournament in two of the three years it has been held. In its first appearance, Eastern Illinois won against Liberty in a nail-biting penalty shootout before losing in the semifinals.
This increase in tournament participation hints at a bright future for OVC soccer. As interest continues to grow, we might see even more teams joining the fray in the coming years.
For those looking for the complete schedule:
- November 9:
- Match 1: #4 SIUE vs. #5 Western Illinois at 12:00 p.m. CT
- Match 2: #3 Liberty vs. #6 Eastern Illinois at 3:00 p.m. CT
- November 12:
- Semifinals: Winners of Matches 1 and 2 will face #1 Lindenwood and #2 HCU at 4:00 p.m. CT and 7:00 p.m. CT respectively.
- November 15:
- Championship Match at 7:30 p.m. CT
As the championship approaches, excitement is building among fans and players alike. Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the season!
For more details, check the official Championship Central.
