When it comes to college soccer, one season-long goal for every player and coach is to get to the conference and win it to get to the NCAA tournament.
That is no different for Bradley’s soccer team, who had lost all three of their Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) games heading into last weekend’s game against another winless MVC squad, Central Arkansas (UCA)..
With Homecoming in the background, the Braves found a way to send their fans home happy, going on to win 1-0.
Head coach Jim DeRose said afterward that the conference game against Central Arkansas was a crucial match.
“These guys work so hard,” DeRose said. “It was a great result late, but like you said, it was a must win game, and we needed it.”
The Braves secured the victory against UCA as recently named MVC Offensive Player of the Week and junior Jason Lesch scored his fourth goal of the season with minutes to spare.
DeRose credits Lesch’s constant hard work and said that the goal couldn’t have gone to a harder worker on the offensive end for the Braves.
“He works so hard,” DeRose said. “The saying is ‘those who work hard get rewarded,’ and that couldn’t be more true for Jason.”
DeRose and the Braves could not celebrate the big homecoming and conference victory for too long, as they had to turn around three days later to play non-conference foe University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO).
The match against UNO was just as excited, but the result did not go the Braves’ way as the team fell 1-0 to the Mavericks in two overtimes.
After consistent back and forth play for both teams throughout the match, the Mavericks won on a ball that was deflected in front of net with four minutes left in the match.
DeRose said that even though the match against UNO was non-conference, it was hard to lose so late in the game.
“It was a tough loss,” DeRose said. “You stick around long enough and play enough overtimes, and deflections are going to go in. We had one like that earlier in the year, and we got bit by it tonight.”
The Braves return to action Oct. 25 on the road at Missouri State.
