Braves’ clean sheet streak now at three weeks – Monday soccer Roundup

The last goal allowed this season by the Bellmont Braves came in a 3-2 win over Concordia Lutheran on September 4th. When coach Steve Lee’s takes the field at home Wednesday against East Noble, they’ll have a chance to extend the run to over 500 minutes, while also drawing the team closer to an outright NE8 title.

The back four of Kate Kitson, Ashley Bleke, Bri Converset and Adi Knipstein, combined with the goalkeeping of Emily Barton and the stellar defensive play of Gwen Laurent in the midfield have all put the Braves in a position to be considered one of the top defensive teams in the Northeast quarter of the state.

*Emily Barton looks up field after scooping up a shot against Leo in a recent home match. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)*

What’s even more remarkable about the team’s back four – or back five, if you count Laurent – is that they have consistently been adding goal contributions to the score sheet during the scoreless run. They did it again Monday with an easy 5-0 win at New Haven, with Laurent converting a PK and providing the corner that Bleke put into the back of the net off her stomach. She did the same with her head last week.

Freshman Kaitlyn Barton scored twice, with one of them coming from an assist by Oni Krueckeberg.

Senior Hannah Hawkins also scored, with the assist going to Ella Sovine.

The Braves are two wins away from a 7-0 record in the NE8 and they are 160 minutes away from going an entire conference slate without conceding.

For the Bellmont boys, it was a different kind of Bulldog opponent. New Haven dominated the aerial challenges and controlled the midfield, stringing together considerably more passes than the Braves could attempt and challenging the back line with speed and skill.

Dane Fuelling of the Z Team wraps up Monday’s broadcast of New Haven vs. Bellmont.

Bryan Villegas scores first for New Haven.

Bryan Villegas scored on an assist by Solomon Johnson to put the Bulldogs on the board first, but Jake Hackman was hauled down in the box late in the first half and he converted his chance to level the score heading into half time.

Jake Hackman gets taken down in the box and converts the penalty.

The second half, however, belonged to the visitors. They scored in the 52nd minute on an unassisted goal by Villegas, then added a goal by Johnson ten minutes later.