HOMECOMING IN THE BOOKS
? Last weekend, Bradley hosted the Country Inn & Suites Homecoming Classic, the 18th regular season tournament hosted by the Braves.
? Alabama A&M, a Division I independent, defeated Missouri Valley Conference members Bradley and Missouri State to win the four-team event with a perfect 2-0-0 record.
? Missouri State and Bradley posted an identical 1-1-0 record, but the Bears earned second place in the tournament thanks to an advantage over the Braves in goal differential (MSU +1, BU even).
? Atlantic Soccer Conference-member Howard finished fourth after losing matches against Missouri State and Bradley.
? Since the tournament began at Shea Stadium in 2003, Alabama A&M is the fifth different team to claim the title.
OFFENSE COMES ALIVE
? After scoring just one goal through 384 minutes in its 0-3-1 start at Shea Stadium, Bradley scored two goals in 118 seconds Saturday night to defeat Howard, 2-0.
? Sophomore Paul Tracy and junior Chris Cutshaw netted goals in the second half blitz by the Braves.
? The Braves took 25 shots against the Bison, the most by a Bradley team since the Braves took 27 shots in a scoreless draw against Oral Roberts at Shea Stadium on Oct. 14, 2006, and the most shots in a 90-minute game since the Braves fired 25 shots in a 3-1 win over Eastern Illinois on Oct. 31, 2003.
? The two goals scored by the Braves was the most at Shea Stadium for the hosts since last season's 2-0 NCAA Tournament win over DePaul on Nov. 24, 2007.
VISITING THE WINDY CITY
? The Braves will play one of two road games in the month of October this Saturday, visiting Loyola for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
? Saturday's game in Chicago is the first meeting between the Braves and Ramblers since 2001.
? The Braves are 8-2-0 against Loyola, winners of four straight against the in-state rival.
? Loyola's lone home victory in the series was the first all-time meeting, a 1-0 overtime win on Sept. 10, 1989.
? The Braves are 9-9-2 all-time in the city of Chicago.
ANOTHER SHUTOUT FOR DVK
? Bradley sophomore goalkeeper Drew Van Kampen recorded his fourth shutout of the season Saturday night, running his career total to 4.5.
? Van Kampen is the 19th goalkeeper in program history, but his 4.5 career shutouts are already sixth-most all-time.
Goalkeeper Years Shutouts
Chris Dunsheath 2002-05 27.5
Adam Gross 1997-2000 18.0
Mike Haynes 2004-07 14.5
Matt Marden 1994-97 11.0
Scott Fusco 1990-93 9.0
Drew Van Kampen 2006- 4.5
PAST THE HALFWAY POINT
? After playing the ninth and 10th games of the 2008 campaign over the weekend, the Braves surpassed the halfway point of its 18-game schedule.
? Bradley's 5-4-1 record is just one game behind the 2007 pace of 6-3-1 through ten games.
? The best start in program history was in 2002, when the Braves started the season 8-0-2, running its season-opening unbeaten streak to 15 games (11-0-4) before dropping a 1-0 decision to Dartmouth on Oct. 20, 2002.
the drive for 200
? After the weekend split, Bradley's all-time record sits at 199-203-37 (.495).
? The Braves need one more victory to hit the 200 win mark.
? The Braves will play next at Loyola on Oct. 11, but four of the following five games will be played at Shea Stadium.
? This season, the all-time Bradley record could eclipse the .500 mark for the first time in program history.
? The first Bradley team in 1987 started 0-4 while the Braves didn't post a winning record in a single season until 1992, when the Braves went 11-7-1.
