Offense carries BU to convincing 10-1 win over Presentation

ABERDEEN, S.D. -- Rob Smith and Daniel Coupland both netted hat tricks to lead the Bellevue University men's soccer team to a 10-1 victory over Presentation College on Saturday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association play.

With the victory, Bellevue improves to 8-6-2 overall and 3-0-0 in the North Star. Presentation falls to 4-13-0 overall and 0-3-0 in conference play.

Despite the final margin, Bellevue carried just a 2-0 advantage into halftime. The second half belonged entirely to BU as they out-shot their hosts 31-3 (19-1 on goal) for the game.

The 10 goals are the most scored by the Bruins since they defeated Dakota Wesleyan, 11-0, on Sept. 21, 2008.

Smith scored goals in the 4^th, 23^rd, and 50^th minutes while Coupland found the back of the net in the 46^th, 77^th, and 79^th minutes. It was Smith's second hat trick of the season while Coupland recorded a hat trick for the first time in his Bellevue career.

Also scoring goals for Bellevue were David Goolsby (67'), Travis Hurd (71'), Andres Blanco (78'), and Lamine Doumbia (85'). The goal scored by Doumbia marks the first he's scored as a Bruin.

Kieren Clark scored a 52^nd minute goal for the host side but it wasn't nearly enough.

Coupland, Edgar Guzman, and Alejandro Pena each had two assists for BU while Smith, Goolsby, and Blanco each added one assist.

Smith and Coupland are the first Bruins to scored hat tricks in the same game since Jon Pagel and Jared Isenhart accomplished the feat on Sept. 24, 2005 in a 10-0 win over Central Christian.

With 42 goals now on the season, Bellevue has eclipsed the mark of 36 goals they scored in 20 games last year. BU has scored 15 goals in their last three halves of play.

The Bruins return to action when they travel to Omaha, Neb. for an 8 p.m. match against Grace on Wednesday, Oct. 26.