ATCHISON, Kan. -- After an 11-day layoff the No. 8 Bellevue University men's soccer team returned to action by going on the road and defeating No. 19 Benedictine College 3-1 on Wednesday evening.
Bellevue remained unbeaten on the year, improving to 7-0-2 while snapping a two-game run of draws. Benedictine saw their six-game win streak halted as the Ravens fell to 8-2-0.
Benedictine had the first scoring chance of the game with Luca Nicotra getting a shot off at close range but Taariq Ganga made a stop for the Bruins.
Buster Honeywood put Bellevue on the board in the seventh minute with his first goal of the season. A Bruin corner kick led to Coehen Rusin taking the initial shot, which was saved, but Honeywood slammed home the rebound for a 1-0 BU lead.
The Bruins had a near-chance to add on in the 19th minute when Noah Reuscher came off his line to play a bounding ball. Matias Daniel-Doren knocked down the clearance attempt but a Raven defender was able to scramble and clear away the danger.
Benedictine produced a dangerous opportunity in the 35th minute when Caden Martin ran onto a shot that was deflected to Norberto Montero but just too high for Montero to get much on it as Ganga was able to come up with another stop.
Kyi Nicholson drew a foul on a 37th minute counter attack as he was taking down at the edge of the box, earning the Bruins a free kick after a Benedictine caution but BU was unable to capitalize.
The game remained 1-0 into halftime despite Benedictine out-shooting Bellevue 9-3, including 3-2 on goal.
Benedictine wasted no time leveling the score out of the halftime break in the 47th minute. Diego Acuna teed up a shot from 25 yards to the far post past a laid-out Ganga to equalize just 1:40 into the second half.
In the 60th minute, BU looked to go back in front as Ombeni Mubake sent a dangerous shot low that Reuscher turned away with a diving effort for a corner.
Bellevue regained their advantage in the 67th minute when Jake Cover whipped in a low cross from the corner of the box for Jeremiah Hteh that went untouched, seemingly fooling Reuscher, before curling inside the far post.
Mubake had a chance to put the game away in the 80th minute when Cover sent a cross to the box. Edwin Cisneros came screaming toward the back post but his shot rifled wide.
Just seconds later, Bellevue did find an insurance strike as Alvaro Moros Sanz took a pass from Cisneros atop the box and snapped off a quick shot that skipped off the turf and into the back of the net.
Bellevue next plays on Wednesday, Oct. 2 when they travel to Fremont, Neb. for a 7 p.m. kick-off at Midland University.
