BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- An aggressive start and a late goal from Toby Millward were not enough for the Bellevue University men's soccer team on Thursday afternoon as the Bruins dropped their first game of the season, falling 2-1 at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Records:
Bellevue: 4-1-0
Oklahoma Wesleyan: 4-0-0
Recap: OKWU 2, BU 1
Bellevue was the aggressor out of the gate, pressing hard and displaying a high level of energy. The Bruins did well getting into the teeth of the Eagle defense with possession but rarely able in a position to generate shots.
The first good chance of the game came for BU in the 30th minute with a free kick about seven yards from the edge of the area. Toby Millward's shot low deflected off the wall and out for a corner kick.
Play remained constrained to the middle of the field until the 43rd minute when OKWU got their first real scoring chance. After a disputed foul call at the edge of the box that saw several Bruin defenders pleading their case to the referee, Stefan Lukic quick-played the free kick to the far post while keeper Harry Wray was trying to set his wall.
Both teams had two shots in the half but Oklahoma Wesleyan took the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Early in the second half, Bellevue created a chance on the counter. Millward took a pass from Inaki Aldao off a throw in, split two defenders and played a pass to Ramy Katit streaking down the left wing at an angle to the box but Katit's effort was denied with a diving save from Alex Vidizzoni.
Bellevue narrowly avoided falling 2-0 behind when Stefan Cvetanovic made a darting run through the BU back line to get into a good position to shoot but his attempt missed just wide of goal on the ground.
Moments later Oklahoma Wesleyan doubled their lead off a throw-in. Victor Crispim took received the throw-in and dribbled into the same position as Cvetanovic before curling a shot past a diving Wray and inside the far post for a 2-0 advantage in the 65th minute.
BU nearly pulled one back in the 71st minute as Oumar Sissoko unleashed a howler just above ground level on which Vidizzoni made a finger-tip save.
Through continued pressing, Bellevue finally forced the Eagles into a mistake and halved the hosts' lead in the 83rd minute. After containing a ball to the playing area right in front of their own bench, Bellevue got the ball to Millward who dribbled in – nearly unchallenged – and rifled a shot inside the post past the diving keeper for his fourth goal of the year.
Cvetanovic nearly iced the game for Oklahoma Wesleyan with another run. He deked a Bruin defender to get a clean look at goal but Wray came up with enough of a touch to slow the ball's momentum and allow a defender to clear it off the end line and allow Bellevue a chance to work forward.
Oklahoma Wesleyan finished with a 10-7 advantage in shots – 5-4 on goal – while each keeper notched three saves.
Coach Mark Heath-Preston:
"We played really well and controlled the game with and without the ball. We felt hard done on the first goal with some poor decisions not going our way in the buildup and, then, their second was a fantastic finish. We had plenty of opportunities in both halves, we just missed the final pass. It's a good experience for us and we will learn and push onto Saturday."
Up Next:
Bellevue travels to Hannibal, Mo. on Saturday, Sept. 26 for a 2 p.m. kick-off against Hannibal-LaGrange University from the Trojans' Blackwell Field.
Notes:
- Bellevue and Oklahoma Wesleyan have now accounted for 21 goals in their last four encounters for a combined average of 5.25 goals per game.
- Toby Millward has now scored the last three BU goals in the series against the Eagles.
- With his goal, Millward became the 14th player in program history to score 20 career goals.