BU holds off comeback bid by Briar Cliff

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Goals from Ombeni Mubake and Matias Daniel-Doren powered the No. 7-ranked Bellevue University men's soccer team past Briar Cliff University 2-1 in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon at Faber Field.

Bellevue improves to 3-0-0 while Briar Cliff falls to 1-2-0 on the year. The victory was the 102nd of head coach Mark Heath-Preston's career at Bellevue, moving him atop the all-time Bruins' wins list passing Matt Briggs.

The first 10 minutes saw Bellevue enjoy the majority of the attacking possession. Matias Daniel-Doren generated the game's first shot on goal in the opening minute with his attempt being turned away by BCU's Philip Haenel.

Daniel-Doren received a dangerous pass in the middle of the box in the 10^th minute but was unable to settle the bouncing ball to produce a shot.

Briar Cliff's Edvard Orseth produced the Chargers' first shot on goal in the 15^th minute and Taariq Ganga came up with a save for the Bruins.

BU's persistence paid off when Ombeni Mubake put the Bruins in front in the 32^nd minute. Mubake forced a turnover at the near sideline with Haenel caught out of position. He took a touch and unleashed a curling shot from the edge of the 18 to the far post for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 Bruin advantage.

Orseth threatened to equalize for the Chargers with a darting run but he mishit his 38^th minute attempt and it sailed well wide of goal.

Bellevue extended their lead to two goals in the 57^th minute courtesy of a Daniel-Doren strike, his fourth goal of the year. After picking up the ball 50 yards from goal, he dribbled in and unleashed a 40-plus yard strike that fooled Haenel and bounded into the goal.

The Chargers pulled one back in the 73^rd minute thanks to an Axel Bjerke strike. Ganga mishandled a ball in the box with Bjerke collecting the bobble and slipping home a shot from the near side of the penalty area.

Less than five minutes later Briar Cliff appeared to have equalized as the ball found its way into the net but the lineman held up his flag for an offside.

BCU continued to press forward as the game entered the final 10 minutes with threatening runs and crosses though the Bruin defense did well to minimize actual shot attempts.

A BU foul in the 83^rd minute set up Briar Cliff with a free kick off the corner of the penalty area. A cross was whipped in past Ganga and a Charger player was able to get a head on the ball but his effort off the turf bounced over the crossbar.

Filip Peters had a great look at goal in the 87^th minute when a deflected ball bounced to his feet at the edge of the box but his volley attempt appeared mishit and sailed wide.

A BU yellow with 32 seconds left gave Briar Cliff a final opportunity but the Chargers were unable to generate a shot.

The Bruins finished with a 14-11 edge in shots, 5-4 on goal, and 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. Fouls were even at 11 apiece while both Ganga and Haenel totaled three saves for their respective sides.

Daniel-Doren has now scored the game-winner in each of Bellevue's first three games, matching the longest such streak by a Bruin with Tom Garrick also having done so in 2008.

The Bruins return home to Papillion Landing on Saturday, Aug. 31 when host Tabor College (0-0-1) at 5 p.m.