HASTINGS, Neb. -- Antonio Capra scored the game's lone goal in the 13th minute to propel the No. 10-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team to a 1-0 win over Hastings College on Wednesday evening at Lloyd Wilson Field.
Records:
#10 Bellevue: 12-2-2
Hastings: 7-4-2
Bruins 1, Hastings 0
The first scoring change of the game came in the ninth minute when Hastings hit on a counterattack. A Bronco forward found himself on a breakaway with just the keeper between him and the goal before a back-tracking Bruin defender made a strong run and sliding tackle in the box to allow AJ Jarvis to make the stop.
Antonio Capra broke through for the Bruins in the 13th minute. Anthony Cox sent in a cross that Capra came sliding in to finish for a 1-0 BU lead. The assist was Cox's team-leading eighth of the season.
The Bruins had an opportunity to add on with a free kick in a dangerous area around the 40-minute mark but Sebastian Zapata mishit his shot and Brendan Dally made the save for the Broncos.
Bellevue carried that 1-0 lead into the half, out-shooting Hastings 6-3 overall and 2-0 on goal while piling up a 5-1 advantage on corner kicks.
Hastings found themselves on the front foot in the opening minutes of the second half with a majority of the attacking possession.
Bellevue packed in well defensively; ceding consistent possession to the Broncos but Hastings was unable to generate many quality scoring chances. Hastings' best chance came in the 82nd minute with Kai Knuchel taking a through ball in the box but Jarvis made the save keeping BU on top.
Hastings had just one more chance but Tyler Mase's attempt in the final minute sailed wide of goal and Bellevue hung on for the 1-0 lead.
Jarvis stopped both shots on goal he faced while Dally finished with one save for the Broncos.
Coach Mark Heath-Preston:
"We defended really well tonight. We had to battle in the second half but I'm really proud of the team for this stretch of games we have had the last month."
Man of the Match:
Antonio Capra – Scored for the fourth-straight game, his second game-winner in that stretch, and now shares the team lead of four game-winning goals with Oumar Sissoko.
Up Next:
The Bruins get a well-deserved 12-day break before returning home on Tuesday, Nov. 2 when they host Graceland University (7-6-2) for a 2 p.m. kick-off at Papillion Landing.
Notes:
- Bellevue picked up their first win over Hastings since Nov. 22, 2014 – a 2-0 victory in the NAIA Opening Round – and are now 8-6-3 all-time against the Broncos.
