PEORIA, Ill. – For the second straight home game, Bradley dominated the shot count, but this time the Braves (6-4-2) got the result to match by earning a 2-0 victory versus Belmont (4-6-2) Tuesday evening at Shea Stadium.

After outshooting Western Illinois, 30-10, in a 4-2 loss Oct. 7 in its last home game, Bradley enjoyed a 28-9 advantage against the visiting Bruins Tuesday.  The win snapped a two-game home losing skid as the Braves kick off a season-long, 3-game home stand.  Bradley will host Loyola Chicago Saturday with postgame fireworks to follow the annual Homecoming game.

Despite its 14-4 shooting advantage in the first half, it took an own goal to put the Braves on the board in the 36th minute.  Andrew Brown started the scoring sequence with a long throw into the box from the right flank.  The ball appeared to be ticketed for junior forward Desmond Campbell, but a Bruins player stepped in front.  His attempt to head the ball away, however, was mis-hit and the ball fell into a wide open net inside the left post for a 1-0 Bradley lead at 35:46.

Bradley kept the pressure up in the second half and capitalized when senior forward Alon Badat drove home his team-leading fourth goal of the season.  Campbell created the scoring chance by carrying the ball toward the endline on the right side of the box, then centered for Badat, who easily finished a one-time strike from eight yards out at 50:58.  Badat, who hit the crossbar with a blast later in the half, finished with a game-high six shots.

Senior goalkeeper Brian Billings made a pair of first-half saves, then needed only to break up a handful of crossing services in the second half to preserve the shutout, Bradley’s fifth of the season.  Billings now shares second place with Adam Gross on Bradley’s all-time list with his 18th career shutout.

The loss is Belmont’s third straight shutout defeat.

 

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