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Nate_Mefford_vs_WesternMichigan2024
Megan Veldman
1
Western Mich. WMU (5-0-2, 0-0-1)
1
Belmont BEL (2-2-3, 0-0-1)
Western Mich. WMU
(5-0-2, 0-0-1)
1
Final
1
Belmont BEL
(2-2-3, 0-0-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Mich. WMU 0 1 1
Belmont BEL 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Bruins Earn 1-1 Draw with Fourth-Ranked Western Michigan Sunday

Men’s Soccer Begins MVC Play with Impressive Result at Rose Park

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With the highest-ranked team to ever play at E.S. Rose Park visiting the Belmont University men's soccer team's home field Sunday afternoon, the Bruins captured an impressive 1-1 draw against fourth-ranked Western Michigan. In both teams' Missouri Valley Conference opener, Belmont (2-2-3, 0-0-1 MVC) scored late in the first half and held the Broncos (5-0-2, 0-0-1 MVC) scoreless through the opening 64 minutes.
 
The Bruins were forced to play a man down for the closing 33 minutes following a pair of yellow cards on redshirt sophomore defender Nate Mefford, who gave Belmont a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute.
 
The result is the Bruins' first against a top-five opponent in program history.
 
Despite having only 10 men on the field for most of the second half, Belmont conceded just three shots on target in the final 45 minutes of action. In fact, the Bruins allowed only five shots on goal for the entire match against one of the nation's most prolific offenses.
 
Belmont controlled possession in the first half and outshot Western Michigan 5-4, including putting three shots on frame.
 
Junior defender Dylan Steely was relentless early, nearly punching it in twice in the first 30 minutes. However, it was senior captain midfielder AJ Chastonay's set piece with less than three minutes to go in the first half that led to the Bruins' goal.
 
Sophomore defender Griffin Moore had the first touch in the box on Chastonay's free kick from the right flank, finding Mefford inside the six on a near bicycle kick. Sliding toward goal, Mefford capitalized for his first career goal. In the 57th minute, Mefford picked up his second yellow card.
 
Graduate goalkeeper Grant Calvert made one of his four saves on the day in the 60th minute before the Broncos knotted the score in the 65th minute. Western Michigan forward Roni Sylejmani scored from over 30 yards out on a heater that dipped under the crossbar.
 
Belmont limited the Broncos to two shots in the last 25 minutes of the match, only one of which was on target. Of Note
  • The Bruins have tied a nationally-ranked opponent four times in school history – versus No. 4 Western Michigan (1-1) on Sept. 15, 2024; versus No. 18 Missouri State (0-0) on Oct. 23, 2022; versus No. 17 Lipscomb (0-0) on Sept. 6, 2022; at No. 22 Lipscomb (1-1) on Sept. 14, 2021.
  • The draw is Belmont's ninth result all-time against a top-25 team, seven of which have come in the last five seasons.
  • The Bruins extend their home unbeaten streak to seven.
  • Belmont gets its first result against Western Michigan in its second-ever meeting with the Broncos.
  • The Bruins have earned a result in 31 of their last 33 matches at Rose Park, outscoring their opponents 52-21 during that stretch.
  • Since the start of the 2018 season, Belmont is 27-8-11 at home.
  • The Bruins join Akron as the only teams to collect a result against Western Michigan this season.
  • The Broncos had won seven-straight matches against MVC opponents, including claiming the 2023 MVC Championship title, prior to Sunday.
  • Moore earned his first career assist on Mefford's goal and Chastonay recorded his second assist of the season and ninth of his career.
Up Next
Belmont returns to road action next weekend, traveling to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Drake next Sunday. Kickoff from the new Mediacom Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. The conference road match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
How to Follow
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on X, formerly 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.
 
#ItsBruinTime
 
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