MACOMB, Ill. ? Senior midfielder Drew DeGurian (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley H.S.) had a goal and an assist, leading Bradley (3-1-1) to a 3-0 non-conference soccer victory versus in-state rival Western Illinois (3-1-1) Thursday evening at MacKenzie Alumni Field.
After having an apparent goal inside the game's first minute waved off due to an offside call, Bradley kept up the early pressure against the host Leathernecks and put up its three goals before the first half was half over. Finishing off a feed from sophomore Chris Cutshaw (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.), DeGurian netted what proved to be his second game-winner of the year in the eighth minute by glancing a shot from the top of the penalty area off the cross bar at 7:31. Freshman Packy Amundsen (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap H.S.) scored his first career goal in the 13th minute after beginning a run near midfield and dribbling through the WIU defense. DeGurian then found sophomore Grant Campbell (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) for a header at 21:30 to complete the game's scoring.
Bradley senior Mike Haynes (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap H.S.) needed just two second-half saves to earn his first shutout of the season.
Thursday's first half was a complete reversal of the first half last year in Peoria, when Western Illinois scored three goals in the game's first 24 minutes to build a 3-0 lead, then withstood a pair of second-half goals from Bradley's Zach Bell for a 3-2 victory. Unlike last year when the Braves attempted their second-half rally, Bradley's defense remained locked in and allowed the Leathernecks just two shots on goal in the final 45 minutes. Overall Bradley outshot its host, 12-7, marking the first time in the season's opening five games the Braves have outshot their opponent.
That result last year at Shea Stadium ended Bradley's eight-game winning streak in the series, but it did stretch the streak of 1-goal decisions in the series to nine games. Each meeting between the Braves and Leathernecks had been decided by just one goal since a 6-4 Western Illinois victory Sept. 24, 1996 at Becker Park. Thursday's 3-0 victory equals Bradley's most-lopsided victory against WIU, matching the 3-0 scores posted during the 1992 and 1993 seasons. While the Braves improved to 13-7-0 all-time against Western Illinois, Bradley also improved to 8-2-0 at WIU and ran its road winning streak in the series to five games.
Bradley will return to action Sunday by facing defending Big East Conference Red Division champion Cincinnati in a 1 p.m. tussle at Shea Stadium. Sunday's clash against the Bearcats will be Bradley's third of four straight games versus defending conference regular-season champions.
The feature event of the Bradley Soccer program's 20th anniversary reunion weekend, Sunday's game also will feature the program's first-ever “Red-Out” promotion. All fans are encouraged to wear red to Sunday's game and the first 500 adults will receive a special “Once a Brave, Always a Brave” red t-shirt. In addition, the first 750 Bradley students enrolled in the Red Pride rewards program will receive a “Once A Brave, Always a Brave” t-shirt designed for the student group.
Single-game ticket prices for Bradley Soccer games at Shea Stadium are $5 for adults, $2 for youth (k-12) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active military members and their immediate families, all presenting valid identification.
