BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Freshman Jonus Starkus scored his first career goal but didn't stop there, recording a hat trick, to pace the Bellevue University men's soccer team past Viterbo, 3-1, in the Bruins' North Star Athletic Association-opener.
Bellevue won their second straight match while Viterbo's winless streak has now reached three matches.
Starkus knocked in his first strike in the game's fifth minute. Senior Tobias Maertzke sent a pass to Starkus in the box and Starkus took a couple touches to gain full control, dribbled to the far side of the box, and sent a shot back across goal an in for a 1-0 BU lead.
Starkus and the Bruins wasted little time in upping their advantage to a pair of goals. Senior Jonathon Callaghan fed a pass to sophomore Rob Smith who dribbled into the box before sending a cross to the far side of the six-yard box. Starkus came sliding hard in and got a foot to the ball to beat keeper Quinten Ludwig.
The hat trick was complete for Starkus in the 63rd minute. Smith sent in a cross to freshman Lamine Doumbia whose initial attempt was saved by Ludwig. The rebound came to a rest near the goal line and Starkus again came sliding in to tap the ball into the back of the net.
Cole Pattison scored a late goal for Viterbo to avoid the shutout. Jake Adams headed a corner kick across the box to Pattison who volleyed the ball out of the air with his own head and under the crossbar.
Starkus scored on three of his six shots for the Bruins, who out-shot Viterbo 21-3 (12-1 on goal) in the match. Bellevue also held a sizable 11-3 edge in corner kicks.
Prior to the match, Bellevue honored their six senior – Jamie Henderson, Alan Carr, Kenan Sahuric, Jono Callaghan, Tobias Maertzke, and Corey Smith – as part of their Senior Day festivities.
The 13th-ranked Bruins (7-2-2/1-0-0 NSAA) return to play on Friday, Oct. 9 with a 4 p.m. North Star match at Jamestown University. Viterbo (5-7-1/0-2-0 NSAA) is off until Saturday, Oct. 10 when they host (RV) Mount Mercy University at 1 p.m.
