ST. LOUIS -- The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's soccer team held on to defeat Upper Iowa 3-2 in a back-and-forth affair at Don Dallas Field on Friday afternoon. The Tritons improve to 5-4-5, 4-3-4 GLVC while Upper Iowa falls to 3-9-2, 2-7-2 GLVC.

Isaac Valverde scored what would be the game winning goal in the 65^th minute. Melo Mensah beat his defender and sent a cross into the box that Valverde, trailing at the far post, cleaned up to give UMSL a 3-1 lead at the time.

Upper Iowa opened the scoring in the 26^th minute when Timur Nagy managed to chip a pass from Alejandro Sanchez into the goal to put the Peacocks up 1-0.

Benjamin Ocampo answered in the 40^th minute, slotting the ball past the Peacocks keeper at the far post. Gibson Hunt played a bounce pass back up to Mensah who took a touch before sending the ball through for Ocampo.  The goal is the first of Ocampo's collegiate career. 

He added his second goal of the afternoon in the 47^th minute, also assisted by Hunt and Mensah. This time, Mensah sprang Hunt with a through ball that Hunt then crossed across the face of the goal to Ocampo waiting at the back post.

Despite receiving a red card in the 77^th minute, Upper Iowa got a second goal in the 86^th minute. Florian Deick headed in a corner kick by Sanchez to make the score 3-2 with four minutes left to play.

The Tritons outshot the Peacocks 16-10 with UMSL goalkeeper Jack Franklin making three saves in the contest.

UMSL hosts Quincy at 2:30pm on Sunday (Oct.26) in its final home game of the regular season. The Tritons will celebrate senior day at the conclusion of the match.