LAMONI, Iowa -- Freshman Jonus Starkus and junior David Goolsby both scored goals but it wasn't enough as the Bellevue University men's soccer team fell Graceland University, 4-2, on Tuesday evening in non-conference action.
Starkus put the Bruins on the board first with a strike in the 32nd minute off a pass from junior JT Cronin. Graceland wasted no time getting back on terms with a same-minute goal from Sergi Trullas on a pass from Julian Mathews.
The score remained the same until Cory Arnold put Graceland up 2-1 in the 42nd minute as Bryan Wines collected the assist on that tally. Graceland took that lead into intermission despite being out-shot 6-5 in the first 45 minutes.
That combination worked a second time as Arnold notched an insurance tally in the 75th minute to give the home-standing Yellow Jackets a 3-1 advantage over the away side. The goal was once again assisted by Wines.
The Bruins made things interesting late. Goolsby scored an unassisted goal in the 83rd minute to pull BU within one at 3-2 with 7:47 showing on the clock. Just a short time later the Yellow Jackets removed all double with a goal by Cody Blentlinger in the 84th minute to restore Graceland's two-goal advantage. Cameron Barksdale had the assist.
The four goals scored by Graceland are the most that Bellevue has allowed since allowing four in a loss to Grand View in the NAIA Opening Round on Nov. 23, 2013, snapping a run of 34 games allowing two goals or fewer.
After being out-shot in the first half Graceland responded to own a 13-8 edge in shots for the match. They only put five on goal but four of those strikes found the back of the net.
The 20th-ranked Bruins (8-3-4) return to play on Saturday, Oct. 31 when they travel to Forest City, Iowa for their regular season finale against Waldorf College at 1 p.m.
