Peoria, IL -- The Bradley Braves battled the Marquette Golden Eagles on opening night to a 0-0 draw.
The Bradley Braves opened their 2025 campaign with a draw against the Marquette Golden Eagles. BU's starting eleven featured a mix of newcomers and returning players, with seven returners (Drew Berry, DJ Koulai, Mitch Coughlon, Ethan Beauman-Ansah, Kevin Mejias, Amari Fowlkes, and Jaime Ponce) who were joined by four newcomers making their first starts for the Braves (Stephen Saladin, Nokkvi Hjorvarsson, Anel Kafedzic, and Michael Switala).
Neither side would have to wait long for the tone of the match to be set as just eleven minutes in, Marquette's No. 8, Justin Milovanov, was sent off following a risky challenge. It was initially given a yellow card on the field but the decision was upgraded to a straight red after video review. The Braves created six chances on goal in the first half, with five of those coming in the opening 25 minutes. Kevin Mejias, Stephen Saladin, Nokkvi Hjorvarsson, and Anel Kafedzic each registered at least one attempt.
Bradley's defense was solid throughout the first half, limiting Marquette to a single shot on goal which taken by the Golden Eagles's Mitchel Dryden in the 15th minute. Both goalkeepers were also sharp, with Drew Berry and Marquette's Marten Brink combining for five saves. Berry faced six shots, while Brink faced eleven. As the half progressed, the physical play intensified, resulting in a combined 19 fouls being called in the first 45 minutes.
Once the second half kicked off, the Braves continued their trend of controlling possession. They generated four more attempts on goal in the first twenty minutes, bringing their total to ten before the Golden Eagles even managed to record their third attempt of the game.
Around the midway point of the second half, the Braves delivered a flurry of crosses both from the run of play and corner kicks in an effort to score the match's first goal. However, a lower defensive block and tight aerial coverage allowed the Golden Eagles to shut down those advances.
Marquette was able to break out on the occasional counterattack, which resulted in four of their six total shots for the game. But the Braves rose to the challenge, successfully defending all four, including a free kick outside the 18-yard box and a threatening run into the penalty area by Golden Eagles' Mateo Stoka. As the final moments wound down, Ian Ferguson and Ardit Abdullai tried to create one last opportunity for the Braves, but it was ultimately swept aside with the match ending in a 0–0 draw.
The Braves will now look to Sunday afternoon when they hit the road to take on the Wisconsin Badger in Madison, WI. The Badgers and Braves have previously played six times with each of the last two meetings ending in 1-1 draws.
