BU sees season end with 2-1 loss in Quarters

WICHITA, Kan. -- A 51^st minute goal by Alex Panner was the difference as Milligan University defeated the Bellevue University men's soccer team 2-1 on Thursday morning in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA National Tournament at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex.

Milligan advances to Saturday's NAIA National Semifinal match where they will face the winner of St. Thomas-Dalton State. The Buffaloes improve to 18-2-4 while the Bruins conclude their season at 14-6-4.

The quarterfinal round, previously reached in 2020, matches the furthest the Bruins have ever gone in the NAIA National Tournament.

Jose-Miguel Boggio nearly delivered the Bruins a dream start. Bellevue took the opening kick-off and Taariq Ganga played the ball up the field where Boggio hit a volley from 30 yards that dipped toward goal but caromed off the cross bar.

BU kept up the pressure, as they continued playing the aggressor early, with Gabriel Dias Juliani turning in the box and ripping a shot wide from the corner of the six-yard box.

The Buffaloes saw their first dangerous chance arrive in the 20^th minute following a Bruin giveaway deep in their own end but Milligan was unable to generate a shot.

Following some additional pressure by Milligan, Asa Kai Blake opened the scoring a minute later. Albert Montragull sent a cross from the near sideline to the far side of the six that Blake, loosely marked, dipped his head in as he knocked it down and in for his 11^th goal of the year a 1-0 lead for his side.

Moments after subbing into the game, Alvaro Moros Sanz leveled for Bellevue as fellow sub Antonio Capra played a ball into the box for Moros Sanz. Adria Alles stopped his initial half-volley but right to Moros Sanz's feet which he tapped home his seventh goal of the year.

A Bellevue foul at the edge of the box gave Milligan a dangerous free kick opportunity in the 39^th minute. Inaki Moreno curled the set piece around the wall right into the waiting arms of Ganga.

At the other end, the Bruins picked managed a couple of quality changes in the final five minutes. Caedmon Schwanke found himself with some room in the box. He created a shot with a quick turn, looking to go top-shelf but Alles was able to get a hand to the shot and tip it over the bar. Fletcher Hedge delivered a shot on the ensuing corner but again Alles was up to the task, deflecting that one away for another Bruin corner.

The halftime whistle sounded with the score still level at 1-1. BU out-shot the Buffaloes 8-3 in the opening period, putting four shots on goal to Milligan's three while earning both of the corner kicks in the first 45.

Milligan jumped back on top early in the second half. Santiago Corral worked the ball away from a Bruin defender on the along endline, slipping a pass to Alex Panner in the box. Panner ran onto the pass and slotted a low shot past Ganga for a 2-1 lead for the Buffaloes.

Ganga came up with a desperate save in the 57^th minute to keep Bellevue within a goal. Milligan generated a chance on a cross into the box and Ganga, sprawled out on the ground, stopped Blake's point-blank effort.

Jake Cover found himself in space inside the box with the goalkeeper off his line but his shot in the 59^th minute sailed high.

BU kept pressing forward, winning a free kick from about 28 yards away around the hour-mark. Giovani Lima Soares stepped up to take the kick but his cross was intercepted by a Milligan header at the Buffaloes thwarted danger.

Milligan turned up the pressure from there, looking for an insurance strike. The Buffaloes pressed forward to earn successive corner kicks but were unable to do much with their set pieces.

Capra caught a flick on from 20 yards out on a Bruin counter in the 83^rd minute but, rather than settle it, he tried to hit a volley with his mis-hit carrying over the bar.

A long throw-in by Carlos Ortega Arguelles three minutes later found a Milligan head in the box but the head carried to Matias Daniel Doren 15 yards from goal. Daniel-Doren's volley looked destined for the corner but Alles made a diving save, punching the strike away.

The Bruins won a free kick in the 88^th minute following some fine defending by Hedge that gave BU possession. Hedge juggled the ball up field before being fouled. Daniel-Doren's service into the box was turned away for another corner. As Bellevue worked the ball into the box, Alles found himself on the ground but one of his defenders came to his aid and cleared the ball away.

Milligan struggled to clear the ball from the box in the final minute as BU earned a corner. All 11 players pushed forward with Bellevue shouting for a PK as Ganga hit the deck at the edge of the six but Milligan finally cleared the danger to hold on for the win.

Bellevue doubled up Milligan on shots, 14-7, though the Bruins were out-shot 6-5 on goal. Adria and Ganga finished with four saves apiece in net and the Buffaloes finished with a slight 5-4 advantage in corners.