NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a rematch of last year's Missouri Valley Conference Championship first round match in Music City, the Belmont University men's soccer team earned a 2-2 draw versus the University of Illinois Chicago Saturday evening at E.S. Rose Park to remain unbeaten in the Valley. Graduate midfielder
John McDowell scored a penalty kick goal in the 64th minute to equalize after visiting UIC took a 2-1 lead in the 59th minute.
With the tie, the Bruins (6-4-3, 2-0-1 MVC) extend their season-best unbeaten streak to five matches.
Belmont needed only 14 minutes to take a lead in the contest as senior forward
Lucas Wolthers found the back of the net on a rebound for his third goal of the season. Freshman defender
Zain Abdelhadi took a stab at goal from the left side and Wolthers cleaned things up off the deflection to make it 1-0 Bruins early.
Later in the first half in the 41st minute, the Flames (4-4-4, 1-0-2 MVC) responded. UIC's Sebastian Khoury made it 1-1 following passes from Martin Montoya and Carlos Nevarez.
Belmont outshot the Flames 6-4 in the first 45 minutes of action as neither team earned a corner kick until the second half.
Not quite 15 minutes into the second half, UIC defender Sota Nakazono headed in a ball off the crossbar. The Flames' Khoury took a deep, high shot from outside the box in the 59th minute and freshman goalkeeper
Brody Sucher was able to get a glove on the ball. However, Sucher's save hit the crossbar square and Nakazono was directly in front of goal for the go-ahead score.
Once again, showing great composure like their first two MVC matches, the Bruins dug deep to find a second goal.
Off Belmont's second corner of the evening, freshman defender
Judah McCloud was fouled by UIC's Nakazono as he leaped for a header near the six-yard box. The Flames challenged the call on the pitch, but the penalty opportunity was upheld following a video review.
McDowell punched in his fourth PK of the year to even the score.
The two teams combined for a trio of shots on target across the final 26 minutes of the match with Sucher making two of his three saves on the evening. Neither side was able to create a chance in the closing 10 minutes.
UIC outshot the Bruins 6-3 in the second half, despite Belmont tallying three corners.
Both squads recorded five shots on goal.
The match had four yellow cards, two given to each team.
Of Note
- The Bruins have earned a result in eight of their last 10 matches (5-2-3).
- Belmont is undefeated through its last six matches at Rose Park.
- McDowell's PK is his team-best fifth tally of the season.
- Wolthers is now tied with sophomore forward Jaxon Stokes with six career goals, the second-most of any Bruin. He has scored three goals in consecutive seasons.
- Abdelhadi earned his second assist of the year on Wolther's goal.
Up Next
Belmont is on the road for two of its final three matches of the regular season, traveling to Bowling Green State University next Sunday, Oct. 25. Kickoff from Cochrane Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio, is scheduled for 2 p.m. The MVC road match will be broadcast on
YouTube.
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
