PAPILLION, Neb. -- Despite playing the final hour a man down, the No. 8-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team rallied from a deficit for a 2-1 win over Hastings College on Saturday night.
The Bruins improve to 2-0-0 on the year while Hastings begins their campaign at 0-1-0.
In a chippy affair that saw 29 fouls called and 11 cards issued, BU found themselves short-handed following a 32nd minute red to Andres Valencia.
Bellevue was able to navigate to halftime with the score tied 0-0. Just five shots were taken in the opening 45 minutes with Hastings holding a 3-2 edge with all three coming after the sending off.
The Broncos struck less than a minute after halftime with Ayo Makinde heading home a cross from David Maqueda to a 1-0 lead to the visitors.
Continuous Bellevue threats, including a trio of corner kicks, over the next 10 minutes finally off in the 59th minute with Jeremiah Hteh finding the equalizer. Hteh made a move around a defender and delivered a finish into the lower right corner of the net for his second goal of the year and a 1-1 score line.
BU won a penalty kick in the 73rd minute after a Hastings defender was whistled for a hand ball in the box. Matias Daniel-Doren stepped to the spot and slotted home his third goal of the season.
Hastings threatened to equalize with a pair of shots, including one on target, down the stretch but the Bruin defense held.
Taariq Ganga made a pair of saves on three Hastings shots on goal to pick up the victory in net.
Pablo Arca-Salinas stopped one of three shots on target he faced for the Broncos.
The final stats saw shots finish at seven apiece and three for each side on goal. Bellevue took a 7-3 advantage on corners and Hastings committed 21 fouls to BU's eight.
Bellevue will play an exhibition match on Wednesday Aug. 21 at professional side Union Omaha at 6:30 p.m. at Werner Park in Papillion, Neb. before returning to regular season action at Briar Cliff at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
