Box Score TULSA, Okla. - Bradley could not continue its late season run as Tulsa controlled the tempo and the Golden Hurricane ended the Braves season with a 2-0 victory Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. BU entered the match with a 6-1-2 record in its last nine matches with the loss dropping Bradley's record to 11-9-3 to close out the season.
Tulsa (12-6-2 overall) struck for the first goal of the match during the 17th minute when Kyle Cummings netted his second goal of the season on a give-and-go from Jake Dobkins to put the Golden Hurricane ahead 1-0.
Freshman Aodhan Quinn (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel) had Bradley's best scoring chance of the first half in the 27th minute, but his rocket from 35 yards hit the cross bar.
Tulsa nearly took a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute, when Hunter Christiansen's shot went off the left post and Ashley McInnes' shot on the rebound sailed over the net. Freshman Brian Billings (Apple Valley, Minn./Shattuck-St. Mary's) made a diving save in the 42nd minute on a strike by TU's Omar Mata as the Braves went into the half trailing 1-0. Billings made four saves in the opening half and the Golden Hurricane had the better of play, outshooting BU 13-5 in the first 45 minutes.
Junior Tommy Fritze (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield) had a scoring opportunity on a loose ball 12 yards in front, but Tulsa's Ray Clark made the save to keep Bradley off the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the second half.
Billings made a save on another Mata strike during the 60th minute and added another diving stop during the 73rd minute. Tulsa finally broke through for an insurance goal in the 77th minute when McInnes scored his team-leading 11th goal of the year from 25 yards out.
Tulsa owned a 23-8 edge in shots, holding Bradley to just three shots in the second half. Billings made nine saves for the Braves. Clark made three save in net for the Golden Hurricane
Tulsa advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will face Indiana Sunday at 5 p.m. (CST) in Bloomington, Ind.
