Bradley soccer traveled to Des Moines to play their conference rival, Drake, in a rematch of the first round of the MVC championship quarterfinals last November.
In a similar result, the Braves came out on top with help from fifth-year senior Pepe Mellado, freshman Ian Ferguson and stellar goaltending from sophomore Drew Berry.
The Braves (5-4-5, 1-4 MVC) ended the match with a 2-1 victory over the Bulldogs (3-8-2, 1-4-1 MVC), winning their first game in nearly eight matches.
Coming into the matchup, the Braves were winless in conference play and looking to end their three-game road trip with a much-needed win.
Both teams began the game cautiously, trying to evaluate the matchups that were on the pitch. With most of the possession early on, the Bulldogs found empty spaces in the Braves’ final third which resulted in a couple of shots that tested Berry early on.
The Braves came out with a big push offensively in the latter part of the first half in which they moved the ball well, resulting in a free kick outside the 18-yard box. Taken by Mellado in his first start of the season due to injury, he put the Braves in front in the 25th minute with a deposit into the top-right corner of the goal.
The remainder of the first half was dominated by the Bulldogs, but the Braves’ defense was able to hold the home team to only four shots, two of which were knocked away by Berry.
Into the second half, the Braves continued the strong defense from the first frame, as the Bulldogs were only able to get seven shots – three of which were on goal.
In the 71st minute, the Bulldogs had their best opportunity of the night to tie the game, but Berry knocked it away. The Braves were able to counter the opportunity right away with a goal by Ferguson in the 74th minute to put the Braves up 2-0.
Ferguson put in his second goal of the season off of a complete team effort to get the ball up the field, starting with a long ball by Berry which was then headed by redshirt sophomore Camden Kowalski to senior Caleb Ribeiro, who sent a savvy pass to Ferguson for the goal.
Bradley, nearly escaping with a clean sheet, forfeited a goal in the final minute of the game for a 2-1 final score. Brennan Rzewuski, after knocking on the door the entire game, was the only Bulldog able to find the back of the net.
Berry, making his first back-to-back start of the season, was able to hold the Bulldogs off late in the game to ensure the win for the Braves by making five saves. This came after eight saves in the previous game.
The Braves will match up against UIC at Shea Stadium on Oct. 22 in the hopes of finding their first home win and their second conference win.
