The Bruins scored a barrage of second-half goals as the team shutout Trinity Baptist College 6-0 on Saturday night at Alumni Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina. With the win, the Bruins improve to 2-1-1 on the season and remain unbeaten in region play with a 2-0 record.
"I was proud of the guys and the way they bounced back with some energy in the second half," Bruins Head Coach Matt Hotchkin said. "I don't think we really approached the game with the right kind of enthusiasm against a region opponent. We came out a little soft and it took us a while to wake up."
The Bruins came into the match on the heels of a 1-1 draw on the road at Faulkner University on Tuesday. The Bruins and Eagles met last season with the Bruins winning 3-1 at Alumni Stadium. The cooler weather presented a great atmosphere as the next chapter of this region rivalry was set to be written.
In the opening minutes, the Bruins came out strong with good possession as the team was able to move the ball into the attacking third and create scoring chances on frame. The Bruins were able to get on the board first as Mario Figueroa created space and bent a shot into the opposite corner to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
As the half wore on, the Bruins continued to create chances as they used good combinations for shots on goal. Victor Oladipo nearly extended the lead as his bending shot bounced off the post. Despite controlling possession throughout the half and having several additional chances to score, the halftime buzzer sounded giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Bruins came out with high energy looking to finish their scoring opportunities. It didn't take long as Victor Oladipo scored on a beautiful shot just eight minutes into the second half to push the Bruins' lead to 2-0. Just minutes later, Jordan Crews extended the lead with a goal to make it 3-0.
Despite their lead, the Bruins continued to relentlessly pressure the net as they continued to create scoring chances while limiting the Eagles' opportunities to score. Oladipo would add his second goal of the contest as he beat the Eagles' defense and scored to make it 4-0.
With just ten minutes to play, the Bruins added to their lead as Peter Waddy made a run down the outside and sent a centering pass near the top of the box. Freshman James McCarty received the pass and fired a rocket shot into the back of the net to put the Bruins up 5-0.
From there, the Bruins pushed the tempo again as John Fahmy put the exclamation point on the Bruins victory with a goal in the 88th minute as the Bruins went on to win 6-0 over Trinity Baptist.
"I wish we could say we put together a complete performance tonight, but we aren't satisfied and are looking to bounce back with a complete performance on Tuesday," Coach Hotchkin said. "It's a discipline to be able to play for 90 minutes. I think at times we thought at times we were going to win this game tonight and didn't back it up with personal responsibility and attention to the details to make sure we were really doing our jobs well."
Victor Oladipo led the Bruins with two goals on the night while the team out shot the Eagles 29-3 in the match. Next up, the Bruins will be on the road on Tuesday night as they face Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama.
