PEORIA, Ill. - Junior Keegan Balle recorded an assist for both teams as the #25 Bradley Soccer team opened the preseason with a 1-1 draw in the annual Red-White Scrimmage Saturday night at Peoria Notre Dame High School.

Playing three 25-minute periods with juggling lineups, defense dominated the night on the site of Bradley's first-ever game as a NCAA Division I program 25 years ago.

The first 25-minute segment saw the top defensive group go head-to-head against the top attacking unit and the defensive group stood strong as both sides managed just one shot in the first period.

The second period featured a prominently veteran Red squad against a newcomer-dominated White side.  The veterans earned the advantage, though with a little help from a freshman.  In a sequence that started in the defensive half in the 32nd minute, the Red side built possession up the left flank toward midfield.  Freshman Joe Morales kept a Ross Williams centering ball moving forward to Balle, who sprang Wojciech Wojcik with a pass through the center of the defense.  Wojcik beat redshirt freshman keeper Shay Niemeyer to the ball at the top of the 18 and chipped the sliding White team keeper with a shot that rolled just inside the right post for a 1-0 Red team lead at 31:44.

The Red side kept the pressure on for the next few minutes, before the young White team began generating chances toward the end of the second period.  The youngsters' best chance came in the 45th minute when freshman Jake Gilchrist Dudley fired from a tough angle on the left side, only to see junior keeper Brian Billings push the shot over the bar.

The third period featured a fairly even mix of players on both sides and the game appeared destined to end with the 1-0 score, before senior forward Jochen Graf hit a laser from 30 yards out on the right side of the midfield.  The shot knuckled through a crowd and beat newly-converted keeper Raciel Ocampo inside the left post with 20 seconds remaining.  Completing a sequence of touches in the middle of the park, freshman Grant Bell connected with Balle, who fed the ball outside to Graf for the tying shot.

The 2012 Braves will face outside competition for the first time Tuesday when they host Dayton in a 7:30 p.m. exhibition game at Morton's McClallen Park.  The game will be the featured event of Bradley Community Night, which will begin at 6 o'clock with the team available for autographs at McClallen Park.  The Bradley Volleyball team will sign autographs from 6:30-7 p.m. and a speaking program featuring Director of Athletics Dr. Michael Cross and head coaches Jim DeRose, Jenny Maurer, Geno Ford and Michael Brooks will begin at 7 o'clock.  Admission is free for both the Community Night activities, as well as the game against the Flyers.

Bradley Soccer Red-White Scrimmage Summary