VALPARAISO - Word started to spread through the Valparaiso sideline with about 20 minutes left in Sunday’s regular-season finale that the unthinkable was about to occur.

The Beacons came into the day needing to beat Indiana State just to have a chance at a Missouri Valley Conference title. Valparaiso equaled its season high in goals in a 4-1 win over the Sycamores at Brown Field.

That was the easy part.