The Bradley soccer team remained undefeated with its first road win against IUPUI and a win Sunday against Princeton. As a result of last weekend’s matches, the Braves improved their overall record to 3-0-1.
The Braves only needed the first five minutes of the game to secure their victory against the Jaguars, as sophomore forward Gerit Wintermeyer finished his second goal of the season. Senior forward Frank Bak serviced in a ball to Wintermeyer, who then headed the ball past IUPUI goalkeeper Quinn McCallion, to give Bradley the 1-0 lead.
The full-time result held at 1-0 for the Braves, thanks to redshirt-junior goalkeeper Nathan Wisbey’s second-half efforts. This was Wisbey’s first career start for Bradley; a start that would see him make two important saves for his first collegiate win.
On a very hot and humid Sunday afternoon, the Braves hosted Princeton in the 10th Danny Dahlquist Memorial Game at Shea Stadium. This was the first time the memorial match was not played as an exhibition and was included in regular-season play.
The game started in the Tigers’ favor as they held the majority of the possession in the first half. Bradley head coach Jim DeRose said he felt the Braves were really out-possessed.
“[Princeton] played us off the field in terms of possession in the first half,” DeRose said. “The amount of the times they found their forwards was great. I thought the difference was how intelligent their forwards were – they constantly came off the line, sometimes twice together, which is hard for two center backs that don’t want to both step and get played in behind.”
The Tigers also held the advantage in shots, 6-1, which forced Bradley to play defensively. After a 30-minute lightning delay, Bradley scored immediately off a set piece in the 23rd minute to go up 1-0. Sophomore midfielder Younes Dayekh crossed in a ball from the left side of the field to redshirt-junior Walid Kherat, who then headed in his first career goal.
Princeton continued to pressure the Braves and eventually tied the score at one, from a Danny Hampton screamer from 30 yards out in the 29th minute. Hampton capitalized on a loose ball that he shot into the top-right corner past Wisbey. Princeton’s goal was the second ever by an Ivy League team at Shea Stadium, with the first coming from Dartmouth College in 2012.
It only took 10 minutes for the Braves to respond, as senior defender Alex Ciaramitaro headed in his second goal of the year off a corner from senior forward Frank Bak. This second set-piece goal would secure a 2-1 win against the Tigers, Bradley’s third in a row.
Ciaramitaro said the Braves defended hard and were also lethal in set pieces against Princeton.
“[Princeton] obviously had more of the ball, but that’s how soccer games go,” Ciaramitaro said. “I thought we defended our box really well, and we know [set pieces] are an area we’re really strong on. We have a bunch of size and strength, and we’re really confident to be dangerous on those situations. It’s a big part of our game.”
DeRose added that having three players at the deadball position actually helps the team more than having two of the players in the box on the receiving end.
“Usually you got to match the numbers on the ball, because we don’t always just serve [a cross into the box], sometimes we play it,” DeRose said. “So, I think pulling those three [players] out lets receivers be in a one-for-one battle in the penalty area. We like that, because our guys are pretty big and athletic. They showed that today, with both of our goals being direct results of our guys getting across defenders.”
The Braves play Eastern Illinois today at 4 p.m. and Wisconsin on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Shea Stadium as part of the Bradley Invitational.
