SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Sophomore Sienna Nealon knocked in a rebound with just 12 minutes left to play and the John Brown University women's soccer team remained unbeaten with a 1-0 win over Bellevue (Neb.) on Friday (Aug. 24) night at Alumni Field.
Backstopping the No. 24 Golden Eagles (3-0-0) was sophomore Caitlyn Logan, who picked up her third consecutive clean sheet, extending the JBU streak to 270 minutes to open 2018. Logan finished the contest with four saves, aided by a defensive line that held the visiting Bruins (0-1-0) to minimal scoring chances.
Bellevue's Emily Weyant and Maiwut Dar carried the offensive load for the visitors, but the Golden Eagle defense disrupted their chances several times at just the last moment. Weyant led BU with six shot attempts, two on target.
John Brown appeared to have scored first, but senior Jastin Redman's almost-third of the year was called offsides after her rip from the right side beat Bellevue keeper Sabrina Staufenbiel low to the far left post. Staufenbiel racked up three saves in the first half, to Logan's pair.
With the shots even at seven apiece after 45 minutes of play, the Golden Eagles again almost pulled ahead when a long shot attempt from senior Melody Hagen found the crossbar, and the hosts couldn't find a way to pocket the rebound in the 46th minute.
After trading shots and possession for another 30 minutes, the John Brown counter-attack finally provided the game-winner in the 78th minute.
Senior Aspen Carpenter dumped a pass to the right flank that was crossed back into the box by junior Hannah Sweaney. First on the ball was junior Katherine Haar, whose point-blank attempt was rejected by Staufenbiel. However, Nealon was finishing her run to the back post and buried the Haar rebound from just three yards out, landing her first goal of the season.
Stunned, Bellevue was unable to attempt another shot for the rest of the contest while the Golden Eagles played keep-away with possession, improving JBU to 3-0-0 all-time against the Bruins.
John Brown will now rest for eight days until No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.) invades Alumni Field on Saturday (Sept. 1) at 7 p.m.
