Albuquerque, MACU best Bellevue in Opening Round

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Rodrigo Albuquerque, as he has done for the last three seasons, tormented the Bellevue University men's soccer team ending their season with a pair of goals, including the game-winning penalty with just 23 seconds left to give Mid-America Christian University a 2-1 win over the Bruins in Thursday evening's NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.

BU concludes their season at 7-11-3 while MACU survives and improves to 18-1-2.

With the victory, Mid-America Christian advances to Saturday's second round match to face Oklahoma Wesleyan, who defeated Corban on penalties earlier on Thursday, at 5 p.m. with the winner advancing to the Final Site.

Bellevue and MACU spent much of the early going in the midfield with neither side able to find any easily identifiable scoring chances.

MACU gained some footing with a flurry of chances in a five-minute stretch. The Evangels nearly found the opener in the 28^th minute after a mishit clearance attempt came directly to Jack Price; however, he rushed his shot from 12 yards and missed wide right.

Moments later, in the 31^st minute Luan Cesar dribbled through traffic and unleashed a shot from the edge of the 18 but Bruin keeper Romeo Paparesta handled the chance with ease.

Ricardo Ferreira, in the 33^rd minute took a cross in the box and ripped a shot from 10 yards but his attempt sailed over the crossbar.

The Evangels worked their way on the board in the 42^nd minute as Rodrigo Albuquerque - who had missed the past five games with a hamstring injury - pounced on a rebound and one-timed an effort into the back of the net. Paparesta stopped Uviwe Qasha's initial attempt but the deflection landed at Albuquerque's feet who calmly slotted home his fifth goal against BU in the last three seasons.

Diego Real made a long run with the ball at his feet in the final 30 seconds of the half looking to double the MACU lead but his shot skidded wide of goal and the Evangels took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

The Evangels looked to have a chance in the opening seconds of the second half after a Bruin turnover but an unprepared attacked whiffed on the shot attempt.

Bellevue won a corner in the 59^th minute, their first real chance in the offensive end of the second half but were unable to record a shot for their efforts.

Albuquerque found Rodrigo Ferreira in the 66^th minute at the top of the box for MACU's best scoring chance of the half but his effort rifled over the crossbar.

Paparesta kept Bellevue in the game with a big save in the 70^th minute off a deflected shot, sending Mason Gonzalez's attempt over the bar and out for a corner.

Bellevue found an equalizer off a bad pass in the 76^th minute. Kareem Williams did not see Alvaro Moros Sanz slip in behind him as Moros Sanz picked off Williams' pass and then beat the helpless MACU keeper, Jeremi Abonnel, to bring Bellevue level. The goal marked Moros Sanz' sixth of the season.

Jake Cover challenged Abonnel again in the 83^rd minute but this time Abonnel made the save.

Following a rough challenge in the 85^th minute Alvaro Capra picked up his second yellow and sent off resulting BU playing the remainder of the game a man down. On the ensuing free kick, Rodrigo Ferreira took aim at the upper left corner but his attempt sailed just high as the Bruins narrowly avoided falling behind.

The game advanced to extra time where, playing under the new overtime rules for the first time, Paparesta came up with a game-saving stop in the 97^th minute following a Bruin foul. Albuquerque put his head to a ball but Paparesta turned the shot away with a diving save.

Albuquerque won a penalty from the referee with just 23 seconds left in the second extra time period. Albuquerque took the spot kick himself and beat Paparesta to the near, lower corner to give the Evangels a 2-1 lead. It was his third-straight year in which he scored a game-winner against the Bruins.