Men’s Soccer blanks Viterbo, 3-0, to reach North Star Championship

JAMESTOWN, N.D. -- Three different players scored goals and a wide array of defenders and two goalkeepers combined on a clean sheet as the Bellevue University men's soccer team defeated Viterbo, 3-0, in Friday afternoon's North Star Athletic Association semifinal match.

With the win, Bellevue (10-3-4) advances to Sunday's championship match against Jamestown at 2 p.m. The winner of that game will secure the North Star's automatic bid to the 2015 NAIA Men's Soccer National Tournament.

Senior Jonathon Callaghan recorded a pair of assists on the afternoon as junior JT Cronin and sophomores Daniel Coupland and Rob Smith accounted for Bellevue's goals.

Cronin opened the scoring in the 12^th minute by sliding into a loose ball in the box and slipping it past keeper Quinten Ludwig. The goal was the first of Cronin's collegiate career.

Coupland doubled the BU advantage in the 25^th minute with a goal, his fourth of the year, off Callaghan's first assist of the afternoon. Smith added another strike in the 34^th minute, his fifth of the season off a pass from Callaghan, to put the Bruins up 3-0 and in fine position to advance.

Junior Ben Martin and sophomore Daniel Lastra combined to make five saves to secure the clean sheet for the Bruins, their eighth of the season. Ludwig made eight stops for Viterbo but it wasn't enough for the V-Hawks who were out-classed by the Bruins for the second time in just over a month.

Jamestown needed extra time to come-from-behind and defeat Waldorf, 2-1, earlier on Friday to reach the championship match. The Bruins and Jimmies battled to a scoreless draw on Oct. 9 in Jamestown.