Bruins return to CAC Championship with win over Dakota State

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Battling through howling winds, the second-seeded Bellevue University women's soccer team defeated sixth-seeded Dakota State University 4-0 in the Continental Athletic Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.

Bellevue improves to 12-2-2 on the season while Dakota State ends their inaugural season with an overall mark of 1-14-3.

The Bruins advance to Tuesday's CAC Championship Match for the fifth-straight year where they will meet top-seed and No. 24-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College with kick-off slated for 3 p.m. It will be the fifth-straight season that BU has faced the Grizzlies in the CAC Final.

Baylee Tex scored in the seventh and 28^th minutes, accounting for both first half goals as Bellevue started on the front foot and never looked back.

Morgan Miller delivered a cross to Tex at the near post in the opening minutes that Tex was able to poke home past keeper Sierra Verplancke for an early 1-0 BU lead and her 10^th goal of the season.

Bellevue continued dominating the stat sheet and possession throughout the remainder of the half before doubling up their advantage in the 28^th minute. Mia Hurt sent a hard shot on frame that Verplancke stopped but the rebound caromed off to Tex who tapped in a slow roller for her second goal of the game and a 2-0 Bruin advantage.

The Bruins out-shot the Trojans 20-0 in the opening half, including piling up a 13-0 advantage in shots on goal as Verplancke did her best to keep DSU close, making 11 saves in the opening 45 minutes.

Dakota State finally got their first looks going forward midway through the second half, winning a pair of corners back-to-back, though they were unable to generate a shot on either set piece.

Following the second, Bellevue sprung free on the counterattack, quickly going the length of the field as Hurt and Miller hooked up on the double assist. Miller found Hurt atop the DSU 18 and Hurt slipped a pass on to Aileen Perez who took a touch before blasting home her eighth goal of the season and removing any lingering doubt as BU grew their lead to 3-0 in the 66^th minute.

Katrina Avila scored in the 72^nd minute to make it a 4-0 game. Miller sent a cross into the center of the box that Avila settled, froze the keeper with a feint and calmly slotted home her seventh goal of the season.

Abril Cura stopped the lone shot on goal she faces for Bellevue to pick up her fifth shutout of the season and record the team's seventh.

Bellevue out-shot Dakota State 34-2 overall and 17-1 on goal while racking up a 17-3 advantage in corner kicks. Verplancke finished with 17 saves in the loss for the Trojans.