Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With storm clouds overhead and an extended halftime due to inclement weather, Belmont women's soccer wasn't going to let anything or anyone stop them from clinching their first conference win over SIUE Friday evening at Rose Park. Junior forward Belicia Mendiola (McKinney, Texas) secured the squads victory in overtime on a golden goal to propel the Bruins past the Cougars, 1-0.
Regulation wasn't enough time for either squad to find the back of the net as the teams were knotted up, 0-0, after the first 90 minutes of play. BU (2-6-3, 1-2) headed into its fifth overtime match of the season having tied or dropped their previous four, but Mendiola and the Bruins weren't going to let up this time. Two minutes into the third period Mendiola got tripped up outside the 18-yard box earning the team a free kick with a straight shot at the goal. The veteran took one step towards the ball and fired a bullet over the opposing defense and sent the ball blazing into the back of the net to end the game with 8:04 in overtime still lit on the scoreboard.
Mendiola, who has led the Bruins in goals the previous two seasons, notched the first of her junior campaign tonight against the Cougars. She released a team high six shots, getting four on goal.
After a sluggish first week of league play, Belmont came out firing and never let down as they released a season best 20 shots on the night. They outshot SIUE (4-5-2, 2-1), 20 to 13. The Bruins' relentless attacking efforts saw multiple good looks but weren't able to convert until extra time.
Belmont saw a prime opportunity in the 31st minute when the Cougars were called for a handball in outside of the box in Belmont's attacking third. This was the first of Mendiola's three free kicks that landed on frame, but SIUE's goalkeeper, Juli Rossi made a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
Freshman midfielder MacKenzie Firek (Brentwood, Tenn.) blasted a shot of her own with time winding down in the first frame that led to back-to-back corner kicks for the Bruins, but once again they weren't able to convert on any of the opportunities. As time expired lightning was detected within a 10-mile radius forcing the match to enter a weather delay. The two squads got an extended halftime as the delay lasted roughly 40 minutes before it was ruled safe to play.
Belmont came out of the locker room with renewed energy as they put the Cougars defense to work. In the 58th minute a shooting frenzy took place by the Bruins as they released four shots and a corner within a two-minute window. Freshman midfielder Kameron Ziesig (Brentwood, Tenn.) initiated the plethora of shots with an attempt that found its way to the top corner of the goal ricocheting off the crossbar. Two of her classmates, Niki Clements (Perkasie, Pa.) and Anna Brock Hawkins (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) followed up with a pair of attempts on the Bruins eighth corner of the night, but Rossi once again got assistance from the pipes as the ball failed to find its way in goal. Mendiola collected the final attempt of regulation for BU on Hawkins rebound, but nothing went leaving the game scoreless until overtime.
Senior goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) earned her second shutout of the year as she played a crucial role in the Bruins victory. Bukovec compiled eight saves in 91 minutes of action.
UP NEXT
Belmont travels to Charleston, Ill. As they face Eastern Illinois Sunday, Oct. 2, at Lakeside field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
