Bruins roll past Oklahoma Wesleyan, 4-0

OMAHA, Neb. - A total team effort was the key as the Bellevue University men's soccer team defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan University 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Tranquility Park in a Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference match. With the victory No. 21 Bellevue improves to 10-2-1 (2-0-0 MCAC) and gives the Bruins the early lead in the race for home-field advantage in the league tournament while the loss drops 12-4-1 (3-1-0 MCAC).

Bellevue opened the scoring in the sixth minute with some tremendous play off a set piece. Freshman Jacob Pease (Lincoln, England) earned a free kick about 10 yards off the corner of the 18-yard box. He delivered a high lofting ball to the back post which connected which found the head of junior Alan Carr (Lincolnshire, England) whose attempt snuck in the upper corner of the goal. For Carr, it was his first goal of the season.

Oklahoma Wesleyan nearly found the equalizer four minutes later with a touch to Jack McGowan in the box but his volley clanged off the cross bar. In the 15^th minute, Aaron Terill delivered one of his patented long throws into the box to McGowan but again the woodwork played the role of assistant goalkeeper as the attempt was denied by the right side post.

The Bruins were able to double their advantage in the 32^nd minute. Senior Kristopher McFadyen (Glasgow, Scotland) took a pass along the end line and worked his way to goal. He managed his way inside the 18-yard box and delivered a pass to the center of the box that an Eagle defender whiffed on and the ball continued rolling to Pease. Pease settled and delivered a shot low and hard to the far side of the net past a helpless Luka Stojanovic for his second goal of the year.

The 61^st minute saw a cross played to Oklahoma Wesleyan's Khesanio Hall in the box but a sliding tackle saw to it that the shot didn't come off too hard as senior keeper Scott Robertson (Burnley, England) collected it into his body.

Freshman Rob Smith (Lincoln, England) provided insurance for Bellevue in the 67^th minute. The Eagles turned the ball over along the near sideline in their own territory when junior Kenan Sahuric (Lincoln, Neb.) pounced to claim possession for the Bruins. He passed the ball to Smith who sent in a cross that had too much forward carry on it and drifted over the surprised keeper for a 3-0 lead. The goal was Smith's team-leading eighth of the year.

Pease delivered another great ball in the 78^th minute that found the head of sophomore Lee Woolmore (Norfolk, England) but his attempt went wide. Woolmore did get on the score sheet in the 88^th minute when he headed in a long cross by Pease over the backpedalling Stojanovic.

The back four of Woolmore, Carr, senior Vinny Braga (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and junior Kenan Sahuric (Lincoln, Neb.) played sterling in front of Robertson thwarting numerous Oklahoma Wesleyan possessions in the box before the Eagles were able to get shots off.

The Bruins finished the match with a 13-10 edge in shots, including a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal. Robertson ended up making two saves in goal to improve his record to 7-2-1 while recording his fourth clean sheet of the year.

Bellevue returns to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 22 when they travel to take on MCAC foe York College at 5:30 p.m.