Thorough performance sees BU reach third-straight CAC Final

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. -- A brace from Ximena Jauregui and a season-high 33 shots saw the top-seeded Bellevue University women's soccer team roll to a 3-1 win over Talladega College on Thursday in the semifinal round of the Continental Athletic Conference Tournament.

With their sixth-straight victory, BU improves to 12-2-1 on the year while Dega wraps up their campaign at 4-9-1.

Bellevue began the game on the front foot, pressuring Talladega from the opening kickoff and racking up four shots in the game's first four minutes. Emma Madej nearly put the Bruins on the board 45 seconds into the game, getting in behind the Tornado defense but a heavy touch prevented her from getting a shot off.

Talladega worked their first counter-attack in the 20^th minute, working their way into the BU box, but were unable to get off a shot.

The Bruins finally broke through in the 22^nd minute, turning play around following a foul. Ximena Jauregui found Maju Serrano on an overlapping run down the far side. Serrano carried the ball up the touchline to the edge of the box to set up an oncoming Jauregui who ripped a one-time shot for her ninth goal to open the scoring.

Lauren Chetty had a golden chance to double the lead in the 27^th minute after she was played in behind the defense by Serrano but her attempt went wide of goal.

Emma Stock saw a chance of her own in the 34^th minute as she was unmarked on the back post during a corner but her header missed just wide.

The 1-0 score held at the halftime whistle despite BU dominating the stat sheet to the tune of a 22-3 advantage in shots, including 9-2 in shots on goal, and having won all eight corner kicks.

Bellevue wasted no time adding a second goal, 70 seconds into the second half. Katrina Avila sent a cross to Serrano into the box. Serrano flicked a pass on to Jauregui who slid a goal inside the far post.

The Bruins added a third goal in the 61^st minute to push the lead to three. Jauregui played a ball to Avila who uncorked a long-range shot that appeared to deflect off a defender and in for her fourth goal of the year.

Talladega pulled out a consolation goal in the 85^th minute as Sharanya Smeins slipped home a strike. Jenally Barco sent a cross to Annalisa Vincent at the short side of the goal to draw out the Bruin keeper before sending a pass to Smeins for the first touch strike.

About a minute later, Hasha Holder nearly made things very interesting for Dega with a free kick from 30 yards but her shot on goal was punched over the crossbar by Eliza Christensen to keep it a 3-1 game.

The final stat sheet saw Bellevue run up a 33-7 edge in shots including a 17-5 tally on goal along with an 11-2 margin on corners.

Tornado keeper Natalie Nedd did her best to keep her team in the game, consistently putting herself in position to be disruptive to the Bruin attack and coming up with 13 saves in the game.

Bellevue's Alessia Ricciardi was tasked with making just three saves on the day but did so each time she was called upon before giving way to Eliza Christensen off the bench.

The Bruins saw their shutout streak end at 496 minutes and 39 second, which was their longest since going 559 minutes and 53 seconds without conceding during the 2020 season.

Bellevue advances to the CAC Championship Match on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the winner Thursday's second semifinal between Georgia Gwinnett and Fisher. The winner of Saturday's match secures the CAC's automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.