Bruins down NWC, 2-0; advance to face MACU

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- A pair of first half goals proved o be enough for the Bellevue University men's soccer team as the Bruins defeated Northwestern College 2-0 in the NAIA National Tournament First Round presented by Select Sport America.

With the victory, the Bruins improve their overall mark of 13-5-3 while Northwestern concludes their season with an overall record of 15-5-2.

Bellevue advances to Saturday's second round where they will face host, and top-ranked Mid-America Christian University (17-0-3) at 6 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the NAIA National Championship Final Site.

Bellevue held the lion's share of possession in the early going. They appeared the quicker of the two teams as well as the aggressor, pressing NWC into some turnovers with their high line and winning a couple of throw-ins near the Northwestern box in the opening 10 minutes.

Caedmon Schwanke stole a ball with a standing tackle to start a 13^th minute counter-attack which resulted in the first shot of the match as Carlos Ortega Arguelles sent a shot over the crossbar from distance.

A short time later, the Red Raiders won the game's first corner which ultimately produced their first shot of the match which Riley Aarbo sent wide of goal.

Bellevue broke through in the 18^th minute as Schwanke made a move and sent in a cross from the end line that both goalkeeper Pablo Aspas and a defender misplayed. The ball wound up at the feet of Antonio Capra, who calmly turned and popped in the opener for his fifth goal of the year.

Northwestern played a dangerous ball in behind the defense in the 34^th minute, but the attacker was ruled offside negating the Red Raiders shot attempt.

Three minutes later, Schwanke struck for the Bruins. Gabriel Dias Juliani played Jake Cover up the wing, Cover carried the ball down the wide area and sent a cross to the far side of the six that Schwanke rose up to volley out of the air for his fifth goal of the year.

The Bruins continued to impose their will, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime. The 5-4 advantage in shots was a bit misleading but the 3-0 shots on goal margin was more on point as all the dangerous chances wen the way of Bellevue.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Schwanke had the opportunity to put the game out of reach but Aspas came up with a 1-v-1 save.

At the other end, Aarbo had a chance to cut the BU lead in half but BU keeper Taariq Ganga came up with a diving stop, punching the ball over the end line for a corner.

Northwestern saw their best chance to that point come in the 57^th minute with a cross to Stan van den Beld in the middle of the area. Van den Beld mis-hit a volley that carried just over the crossbar as the Bruins remained in front.

The 61^st minute again saw the Red Raiders with a dangerous scoring chance as Ganga appeared to be beat but recovered in time to stop a shot by Kobi Baccam.

Schwanke was again denied by Aspas on the ensuing counter as his chip was punched over the bar by Aspas at full extension.

The next good chance for NWC came in the _ minute as a Bruin midfielder went down injured on the play and the Red Raiders got a cross into Tim Kaltenberger. Ganga again was up to the task, jumping on the ball and getting stepped on in the process.

As Bellevue continued to search for a third goal, Jose Miguel-Boggio's attempt in the 79^th minute from point blank range was turned away by Aspas to keep Northwestern's ever-fading hopes alive as the game approached the final 10 minutes.

The Bruins won a free kick in the 87^th minute following a foul just outside the Northwestern 18. Fletcher Hedge sent a shot at goal but his strike carried high.

Northwestern did not get another look at goal the rest of the way as Bellevue salted away the win to improve to 7-3-0 all-time in NAIA National Tournament Openers and 8-4-0 in Opening Round games.

The Bruins out-shot NWC 13-11 overall and 7-4 on goal on the evening though the Red Raiders held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.