NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore forward
Jaxon Stokes struck and absolute beauty from just outside the 18-yard box in the 88th minute and the Belmont University men's soccer team defeated Bradley University 2-1 in its Missouri Valley Conference home opener Sunday evening at E.S. Rose Park. All three scores of the Valley contest took place in the final 30 minutes.
Winning their fourth straight at home, the Bruins (6-4-2, 2-0-0 MVC) took a 1-0 lead in the 63rd minute on a
John McDowell penalty kick before the visiting Braves (2-4-5, 0-3-0 MVC) equalized in the 80th minute.
Belmont controlled much of the match and racked up 22 shots, surpassing the 20-shot mark for the second time this season. The Bruins placed a season-high tying 10 shots on target and earned five corner kicks in the first half.
Senior forward
Lucas Wolthers (6) and sophomore midfielder
Paul Claes Nielsen (5) accounted for half of Belmont's shots, including five of the Bruins' 10 shots on goal. However, it was Stokes who found the game winner on a terrific feed into the box from sophomore midfielder
Nzuhri Biggar and a chest pass by fifth-year defender
Nate Mefford. Without hesitation, Stokes lifted the ball into the upper left 90 off his right foot.
Following Stoke's game winner with a little over two minutes to go, Belmont didn't allow Bradley any chances to score.
It was Wolthers who was fouled in the box in the 63rd minute, setting up graduate midfielder McDowell's opening PK. Initially called a foul on the Braves' Adrian Franks just outside the penalty area, the Bruins challenged and the officials confirmed through video review that the foul took place inside the box. McDowell calmly placed the ball in the lower left net to put Belmont in front.
With just over 10 minutes remaining, Bradley's Braden Missey kept a ball off the boundary line before finding Stephen Saladin, who fed the ball into midfielder Cohen Musschoot. With a turn of his shoulder, Musschoot sent the ball to defender Anel Kafedzic, who found the back of the net in traffic to even the score.
Six of the Braves' nine shots and three of Bradley's four corners were recorded in the second half.
Freshman goalkeeper
Brody Sucher made a trio of saves, while the Braves' keeper, Marcal Salom Chandre, came up with eight stops.
Of Note
- The Bruins are off to a 2-0 start in MVC play for the first time since 2022, their first season back in the Valley.
- Belmont is unbeaten through four matches for the first time this season.
- The Bruins have won three of their last four matches and four of their last six.
- Belmont has earned a result in seven of its last nine outings, going 5-2-2.
- The Bruins have earned a result in each of their last five home matches and are 4-1-1 at Rose Park this year.
- Belmont is 4-1-0 against Bradley since rejoining the MVC.
- McDowell's PK is his fourth goal of the season, moving into a tie with Mefford and Claes Nielsen for the team lead.
- Stokes' game winner is his second goal of the year and sixth score of his young career.
- Picking up his third assist of the season, Mefford is now tied with McDowell and graduate midfielder Elijah John for the team lead in helpers.
Up Next
The Bruins remain at home next weekend, hosting the University of Illinois Chicago Saturday evening. Kickoff from the Music City is slated for 6 p.m. The rematch of last year's MVC Championship first round affair in Nashville 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
