ST. LOUIS, Mo.
? Bradley junior forward Chris Cutshaw (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.) scored a goal in the second minute of the match and later added an assist, leading the Bradley soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in an exhibition match Saturday night in St. Louis, Mo.
An SIUE hand ball in the box set up a penalty kick for Cutshaw just 97 seconds into the match. Cutshaw buried the kick in the top left corner of the net to give the Braves an early 1-0 lead. The Cougars answered quickly, tying the game at 1-1 on an unassisted goal from Jack Twellman in the 10th minute.
Sophomore Paul Tracy (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley H.S.) netted the game-winner midway through the first half, scoring an unassisted goal in the 30th minute for a 2-1 BU lead. The Braves took the one-goal advantage into the break, outshooting the hosts 7-4 in the game's first 45 minutes.
Playing with the one-goal lead early in the second half, freshman Christian Meza (Carpentersville, Ill./Dundee-Crown H.S.) stripped SIUE goalkeeper Nick Frasca of the ball in the box, setting up fellow freshman Keith Mach (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South H.S.) to hit an open net in the 53rd minute for a 3-1 lead. Mach's goal was the first of two tallies by BU freshman on the night, as Bobby Smith (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart-Griffin H.S.) added more insurance in the 85th minute, hitting the far corner of the net off his own steal and an assist from Cutshaw to beat SIUE reserve goalkeeper Nick Collico for a 4-1 lead.
Bradley sophomore goalkeeper Drew Van Kampen (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley H.S.) played the full 90 minutes for the second time in as many exhibition games, stopping two shots.
After the Braves put two shots in goal in the exhibition opener against Wisconsin-Milwaukee last Monday, Bradley focused on attacking in Saturday's contest, outshooting the hosts 11-5 for the game. The Braves used 18 players in all, equalling Monday's total. Junior Grant Campbell (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) recorded a shot on goal for the Braves.
The Braves finish the brief exhibition schedule with a 1-1-0 record and will now prepare to begin the regular season. For just the fifth time in program history and the first time since 1993, the Braves will open the regular season away from central Illinois, visiting the Memphis Diadora Tournament Aug. 29-31. The Braves will play host Memphis Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a contest Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. against UAB.