TULSA, Okla. -- Making his first career start, sophomore midfielder Thiago Wong (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap H.S.) assisted two goals inside the game's first six minutes for his first career points, leading Bradley (8-4-3) to a 2-1 win Monday evening at Oral Roberts (4-9-0) and a season sweep of the Summit League.
Finishing off a loose ball in the box, senior defender Stephen Brust (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey H.S.) scored his first goal of the year exactly one minute into the game for the fourth-fastest goal to start a game in program history. It was the fastest strike to start a game since Pat Kane set the record by hitting the net just 36 seconds into Bradley's 3-1 loss at Cleveland State Sept. 21, 1996.
Wong helped make sure history did not repeat itself just 4-minutes, 6-seconds later, however, when his cross set up Joe Donoho's fourth goal of the year at 5:06. Freshman Ephraim Beard (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg H.S.) flicked the cross to the front of the goal and Donoho, the team's sweeper who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week earlier in the day, finished off the play for a quick 2-0 Bradley lead.
While both teams finished the first half with nine shots, Oral Roberts managed to get just one of its attempts on target and Bradley senior keeper Mike Haynes (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap H.S.) turned away that attempt for the first-half shutout. The Golden Eagles quickly ended hopes of the complete-game shutout, however, when Michael Lind was able to poke home his second goal of the year from a scrum in front of the nest just 1:21 into the second half. The Golden Eagles managed only two more shots on goal the rest of the way, however, as the backline of Donoho, Brust, senior Teddy Anderson and sophomore Travis English kept the hosts out of dangerous positions.
Just two days after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Missouri State, Bradley completed a road-heavy portion of its schedule on a high note and matched its overall victory total from the 2006 season (8-8-4). The Braves have played five of their last six games on the road, but Bradley completed the stretch with a 3-1-2 record. The Braves also improved to 4-0-0 against Summit League teams in 2007, dropping Western Illinois (3-0), IUPUI (3-0), UMKC (3-1) and Oral Roberts (2-1) by a combined 11-2 score.
Bradley will resume is Valley regular-season title defense Saturday by hosting league co-leader Drake (9-3-3, 2-0-1) at 7 p.m. at Shea Stadium. The Braves will follow Saturday's league tilt with another Monday non-conference game, this time by hosting Central Arkansas in a 5:30 p.m. contest Oct. 29 at Shea Stadium. The Bradley Soccer team is sponsoring a Ghost Out promotion for the Central Arkansas game. Everyone in attendance will receive a free t-shirt and kids will receive trick-or-treat bags. Pre-game activities will begin at 4 o'clock and will include face painting, Balloon Man and the opportunity to meet Dora, Tigger, Sponge Bob and Elmo. Paid admission also will include a hot dog, chips and a drink from the concessions stand.
Regular-season ticket prices for Bradley Soccer home games are $5 for adults, $2 for youth (k-12) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active members of the military and their immediate families, all with valid identification.
