Bruins posts fourth-straight shutout in thrashing of HLGU

PAPILLION, Neb. -- Oumar Sissoko scored a hat trick and the Bruin defense extended their shutout streak to 384:35 minutes as the No. 11-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team defeated Hannibal-LaGrange University, 5-0, on Saturday evening at Papillion Landing.

Records:

#11 Bellevue: 9-2-2
Hannibal-LaGrange: 4-4-1

Bruins 6, HLGU 0

Bellevue dominated from the opening kickoff, having their way with the HLGU defense in creating chance after chance.

The breakthrough came in the 16^th minute when Oumar Sissoko scored his first goal of the night. Antonio Capra's initial shot was blocked but the rebound came to Alex Cuenca's feet. Cuenca carried into the box and slipped a pass across the top of the six-yard box for Sissoko to redirect into the back of the net.

Bellevue doubled their lead in the 28^th minute following some quality link up play. Gabriel Gaiotto played a pass from the midfield line ahead to Antonio Capra who carried the ball into the box. He delivered a cross from the middle of the box to Sissoko who rocketed home a one-time effort and BU took a 2-0 lead into halftime.

Antonio Capra got the Bruins started quickly to begin the second half, scoring 27 seconds into the period following a Trojan turnover.

Toby Millward and Sissoko scored in quick succession in the 56^th and 57^th minutes, respectively, with assists going to Anthony Cox and Alvaro Capra to put the game entirely out of reach at 5-0. The goal from Sissoko capped his first career hat trick.

Ruben Bande put an exclamation mark on the evening, scoring with 2:26 to play to account for the final margin. Marvin Ramirez flicked a pass onto Bande who volleyed off the bounce from the edge of the 18 to make it 6-0 in favor of BU.

AJ Jarvis stopped the lone shot on goal he faced to log his fourth-straight clean sheet and Bellevue's fifth overall on the season.

Bellevue out-shot Hannibal-LaGrange 17-1 on the night and piled up a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.

Head Coach Mark Heath-Preston:

"We played really well today, especially the first 15 minutes. We created good chance and today the front guys did well in front of goal. Four games with no goals allowed is nice and, again, we have to keep on that."

Man of the Match:

Oumar Sissoko

Up Next:

Bellevue plays Waldorf University (4-3-2) on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. in Forest City, Iowa.

Notes:

• Bellevue has now gone 384 minutes and 35 seconds since last conceding.
• BU has not conceded at home from the run of play since Sept. 11 against McPherson, a span of 487 minutes and 5 seconds.
• Oumar Sissoko's hat trick is the first by a Bruin since Inaki Aldao on Mar. 6 against Kansas Wesleyan.
• It's the first hat trick by a player other than Aldao (who had scored the previous three Bruin hat tricks) since Renato Silva – also against Hannibal-LaGrange – on Sept. 22, 2018.
• Toby Millward's moves into a tie for third on the career scoring list with Jon Pagel at 37 goals.
• Millward now has 109 career points, moving ahead of Mark Heath-Preston (107), and within two points of Aldao (111) for the top spot on the career points list.