BU downs Benedictine to halt skid

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Goals from Adam Sherwood and Joshua Harvey powered the No. 11-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team past Benedictine College 2-0 on Wednesday evening at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.

Bellevue snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory and improved to 8-6-1 on the year. Benedictine saw their winless streak extended to seven games, falling to 5-6-2 overall and 0-6-1 in their last seven.

Buster Honeywood had a dangerous header in the game's fifth minute. Juan Lagares sent a free kick into the box to Honeywood at the back post. With a defender wrapped around him, he got a head to the ball with pace back across the box but a Benedictine defender was able to rise up and turn it away.

Honeywood would eventually help open the scoring in the 16^th minute, again connecting with Lagares on a set piece. Lagares sent in a corner to the font post for Honeywood, who directed a side volley across the goal mouth that Adam Sherwood hip-checked into the net for his eighth goal of the season and a 1-0 Bellevue lead.

Late in the first half Bellevue unexpectedly doubled their advantage. Samuel Puth possessed a ball in the attacking half before playing Okan Erkocu who fed Joshua Harvey about 10 yards from the edge of the box. Harvey took a couple dribbles and mishit a shot with his left foot that trickled past the diving goalkeeper.

Bellevue took that 2-0 lead into halftime while shots were even at six apiece, though BU had advantages of 3-1 in shots on goal and 4-1 in corner kicks.

Benedictine saw their best chance come ahead of the hour-mark when Eliah Froeyland won a ball in traffic near the penalty spot. After taking a touch, he uncorked a shot towards goal but it drew iron carried over the endline for a goal kick.

Moments later, Froeyland took a ball behind the BU defense and worked himself into a one-on-one with the keeper. Kaden Simpson came off his line to stop the first shot and Coehen Rusin made a sliding stop on the rebound attempt to keep the Bruins 2-0 in front.

Chances for Bellevue in the second half were fairly minimal for BU as the Bruins totaled just three shots over the final 45 minutes. The best chance to add on came in the 81^st minute on another corner with Honeywood directing another dangerous header just wide of the top corner.

Honeywood turned in a strong play at the defensive end two minutes later, sliding in to stop a shot back across the goal mouth to keep Benedictine off the board.

Bellevue was out-shot Benedictine 14-9 on the evening, though the Bruins put up a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal and won six corner kicks to the Ravens' one.

Simpson totaled three saves in goal for the Bruins and Hernan Burdiles made two stops in net for the Ravens.

Bellevue next travels to Columbia, Mo. on Wednesday, Oct. 15 for a 7 p.m. kick-off from R. Marvin Owens Field against Columbia College.