BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Andy Janssen poked home the game-winning goal in the 97th minute to give the (RV) Bellevue University men's soccer team a 1-0 win over Briar Cliff University on Wednesday evening at Faiman Field on the Bellevue West High School campus.
Records:
(RV) Bellevue: 3-5-0
Briar Cliff: 2-3-1
Recap: (RV) Bellevue 1, Briar Cliff 0
Quality chances were hard to come by for both sides in the first half with neither team having an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Austyn Brinkley has BU's best chance of the period in the 31st minute but Alex Theobald turned aside his screamer.
Briar Cliff went into the intermission with a 7-4 advantage in shots but were unable to locate any on target while BU had two shots find the frame.
BU turned up the chances in the second half, out-shooting Briar Cliff 6-2 (3-2 on goal) and racking up five corner kicks to the Chargers' two.
Bellevue saw the two best chances of regulation in the second half. Ricky Reyes ran onto a ball over the top of the defense in the 60th minute but was unable to get much on his shot and Theobald made the save. Then, in the 81st minute, Andy Janssen sent in a shot that Theobald was able to turn away.
The overtime period saw just one shot when a ball from the wing wound up loose in the box. With the keeper and a defender engaged with a Bruin attacker, Janssen came in and got a touch to the ball, poking it into the back of the vacated net to deliver the Bruin victory.
Coach Mark Heath-Preston:
"Austyn Brinkley and Marvin Ramirez did well together and caused the opposition some problems. We defended well but need to be smarter in certain areas.
Man of the Match:
Austyn Brinkley -- He showed a good work rate and made a difference when he came onto the field.
Up Next:
Bellevue hosts Northwestern College on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Bellevue East High School for a 7 p.m. kick-off.
Notes:
- The win is Bellevue's first overtime victory since defeating John Brown 3-2 in double overtime on Sept. 9, 2016, a span of eight games in which BU had been 0-3-5.
- BU improves to 2-3-6 all-time in overtime games under coach Mark Heath-Preston.
- All eight of Bellevue's games this season have been decided by a single goal.
