Bruins Score Late, Earn 2-1 Comeback Victory Over Drake Sunday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Returning to E.S. Rose Park following six of its last seven matches away from the Music City, the Belmont University men's soccer team came back to defeat Drake University 2-1 in dramatic fashion Sunday afternoon.
 
Winning back-to-back matches for the first time in 2023, the Bruins (5-3-2, 1-2-0 MVC) secured their first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the season.
 
With a dominating Belmont performance impeded by an unexpected Bulldog penalty goal in the second half, the sophomore duo of leading goal-scorers Dylan Steely and Brock Kiper quickly turned things around for the Bruins late. Graduate midfielder Jansen Wilson created both set-piece scores with excellent feeds.
 
It was Steely's header in the 81st minute that evened things up before Kiper headed in the go-ahead goal in the 85th minute.
 
Belmont started the match on the front foot with double early chances. In the fourth minute, graduate forward Case Cox hit the woodwork off a header before Wilson nearly put the Bruins in front. Sophomore defender Riley Clothier played a long ball into the space where forward Kiper laid it off to junior defender Alex Clayton on the right flank. Clayton provided a cross to a free Wilson in the box, who settled the ball and launched a shot on target. However, Drake defender Deng Deng saved the ball just before it crossed the goal line.
 
Belmont continued to build on its possessions and quick counters. Once again, Cox came within inches of giving the Bruins the lead with a pair of deflected attempts.
 
In the 33rd minute, Clayton crossed a curved ball from the left side to find Cox, but his header was saved by the Bulldogs' goalkeeper Quinn Millerd.
 
The Bruins concluded the first half with eight shots, four of which were on target, five corners and several dangerous throw-ins but had nothing to show for it. Stifling any Drake attack, Belmont held the visiting Bulldogs (2-6-1, 1-2-0 MVC) to only one first-half shot.
 
Five minutes into the second half on a Drake counter, Bulldog forward AJ Franklin took a strong, left-footed attempt just inside the 18 that forced junior goalkeeper Grant Calvert to make a save. Remaining in control, Belmont had another opportunity in the 52nd minute. Junior midfielder Rubyn Singh Gill won the ball at midfield and played a chipped through ball looking for Kiper, who sent a right-footed shot past the left post.
 
The Bruins continued to establish their presence in Drake's box with a couple of set pieces involving Steely, Clothier and Cox, but could not capitalize.
 
In the 65th minute, Calvert made contact in the box with Bulldog forward Eloge Iradukunda on a breakaway and was handed a yellow card. Franklin took the penalty kick and converted, giving Drake a single goal lead.
 
In what appeared to be Belmont's most promising look at evening the score, Steely hit the far post on a header off a free kick from senior midfielder Sam Rowan just outside penalty box in the 79th minute.
 
The Bruins would not be deterred and continued to push in the final third, nearly causing a Bulldog own-goal minutes later. Winning a corner on the play, Wilson put the ball in with an in-swinger and found Steely by the back post. Scoring his third goal of the season, Steely rose up for the equalizing header with nine minutes remaining.

GOOOAAL!!!!@TheDylanSteely with the equalizer in the 81st minute?@jansen_wilson with the assist on the corner ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/K6jNIFV9dq

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) October 1, 2023

Nearly four minutes later in the 85th, Wilson repeated the play with an in-swinger on a free kick from the deep left side. Kiper, looking for the back post, skied through traffic in the box and headed the ball into the net. Marking the scoresheet for the fourth time of the year, Kiper completed Belmont's comeback.

THE GO-AHEAD GOAL!!!@kiperbrock with the header from @jansen_wilson on the set piece? ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/Vhgz0YPAW3

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) October 1, 2023

Of Note
- The Bruins earned their first-ever win against Drake and are now 1-3 all-time versus the Bulldogs.
- Belmont scored two goals at Rose Park for the first time since last season's home finale, a 2-0 win over Eastern Illinois on Oct. 26, 2022.
- The Bruins tallied 16 shots, including nine on goal, for the second-most shots in a match this season.
- Belmont has gotten a result in 25 of its last 27 home matches, outscoring its opponents 41-16 during that stretch.
- Since the start of the 2018 season, the Bruins are 23-8-9 at home.
- Wilson recorded his fourth two-assist match of his career and second of the season. He also had a pair of assists in Belmont's 2-1 neutral-site win over Houston Christian in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sept. 1.
- Wilson now leads the team with five assists on the year. The Kentucky native owns a Belmont-best 11 assists as a Bruin.
- Steely completes the week with five points after notching three points in last Tuesday's 3-1 win at Presbyterian where he scored a go-ahead goal in the 42nd minute and assisted on the final tally.

?? | Senior captain @AjChastonay and sophomore defender @TheDylanSteely, who had the Bruins' equalizer, share their thoughts on Belmont's comeback victory ???#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/yJyU4by7xv

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) October 1, 2023

Up Next
Belmont hits the road once again next weekend, traveling to Bradley for a Friday night primetime matchup in Peoria, Illinois. The Valley match will be broadcast on ESPN+ with a 7 p.m. kickoff from Shea Stadium.
 
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men's Soccer on Facebook – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.