Bruins advance in dramatic shootout over WBU

Box Score
First and Second Round Schedule/Results

OMAHA, Neb. -- A pair of diving shootout saves by Taariq Ganga and a goal by Andres Valencia, who did not play in the game's previous 110 minutes, gave the seventh-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team a dramatic victory over Williams Baptist University on Saturday in the NAIA National Tournament Second Round at Morrison Stadium on the Creighton University campus.

The Bruins, who moved to 15-2-3 on the season, advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Final Site, which will be held at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan. from Dec. 2-9. Bellevue will battle No. 19-ranked LSU-Shreveport at 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, in the Round of 16. This will mark Bellevue's seventh appearance in the NAIA National Championship Final Site.  

Williams Baptist ends its season at 12-3-6. 

The Eagles threatened in the 11th minute when Hugo Gil's rifled shot from the top of the box went over Ganga's head but was saved with a header by Fletcher Hedge. 

Ganga's flying save of an open shot from 20 feet out by Jacob Doehmen kept the game scoreless in the final minute of the first half. 

Both teams had just four shots in the opening half, with WBU holding a slight 4-3 advantage in shots on goal. 

Ganga provided a pair of nifty saves in the first 23 minutes of the second half, and the Bruins never threatened in the second as the two teams entered overtime deadlocked at 0-0. 

Jeremiah Hteh's strike from 15 feet in front of the goal was saved by Rodrigo Pina in the seventh minute of the first overtime. 

Ganga saved Gil's penalty kick in the first minute of the second overtime, and with two minutes remaining, Ganga saved a shot by Colin Haupt off a corner kick to keep the score tied. 

Bellevue fell behind in dramatic fashion in the shootout, 4-2, before Buster Honeywood's goal, which hit the top of the crossbar before landing in the back of the net drew the Bruins to 4-3. Ganga's save on Gil kept the Bruins alive at 4-3. Giovani Lima Soares' goal tied the shoutout at 4-all. Ganga's save on Jacob Doehmen kept the shootout tied, setting up Valencia's exciting game-winner in the lower-right portion of the net. 

Penalty Shootout: