By: Stephen Wagner
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Green Bay continued Horizon League play with Belmont this evening, welcoming the Bruins (1-9-1, 0-3-0) to Aldo Santaga Stadium for a match under the lights. The contest was all Green Bay (3-5-2, 1-1-1) as the Phoenix netted two goals in the first half and one in the third to pick up its first conference victory and defeat Belmont 3-0.
It didn't take long for things to start developing offensively on Saturday night at Aldo Santaga Stadium, as the Phoenix tallied its first goal in the 10th minute courtesy a header from junior Trey Benhart. The scoring strike, which was Benhart's first of the season, came off of a corner kick that was centered to freshman Buran Huseini who then played the ball with his head off the crossbar, allowing Benhart to head the rebound past the keeper.
Following the goal, Belmont hurried the pace in search of the equalizer and recorded three-consecutive shots, two of which were on goal, from the 22nd to the 27th minute in hopes of evening the match. However, Green Bay keeper Dani Alvarado, who made his first start of the season in the net for the Phoenix, laid out to make the stops and solidify the Green Bay advantage.
The match was back-and-forth for the next 17 minutes with neither team holding an edge in terms of possession. However, after a tackle in the top of the box in the 44th minute, Green Bay was granted a penalty kick and elected junior Audi Jepson to take it. Jepson, the team's leading goal scorer, did not waste the opportunity and beat the keeper left to give Green Bay a 2-0 lead in the closing moments of the first half.
Coming out of the break, Belmont looked to lower its current two-goal deficit and pushed things offensively. The 56th minute gave Belmont its best scoring chance of the contest in the form of a penalty kick, but Phoenix keeper Alvarado was all over the attempt and laid out to the right to knock the ball out of harm's way, securing Green Bay's 2-0 advantage.
Green Bay would go on to extend its lead to three goals in the 79th minute of play when junior William Nordenstrom had the ball played to him from Jepson, allowing him to dribble through the backline to free himself for his second scoring strike of the season.
The Green Bay defense and keeper Alvarado would not allow Belmont to score the remainder of the contest, securing the clean sheet and recording its second consecutive three-goal match.
Cheenuj Shong recorded a match-high four shots in the contest and was able to place one on goal in his 66 minutes on the field. Alvarado finished his first start of the season with six saves and recorded the third shutout of the season for Green Bay.
The Green Bay men's soccer team will return to the field next Saturday when it hosts Detroit at 7 p.m. under the lights of Aldo Santaga Stadium.
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