WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's soccer team opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a 2-0 win over Bradley on Saturday night at Valley Stadium. The result extends the Bulldogs' winning streak to three games.
 
"This was another excellent performance and result, as well as a very important three points to start conference play," said Drake head coach Gareth Smith. "It was a joy to watch our guys in action this evening. They are a real pleasure to work with. The commitment and attention to detail in all phases – defense, attack, and in transition – was outstanding and is why we turned in such a complete performance."
 
Austin Smythe opened the scoring with a goal in the 19^th minute. Antonio Sanchez carried the ball deep into the box before playing it back to Antonio Melendez, who found Smythe with a looping cross into the box.
 
Smythe jostled for position with his defender and did well to get a foot on the ball, redirecting it past the sprawling keeper and into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Sanchez was credited with his first assist of 2019, and Melendez tied the team lead by earning his second assist of the year.
 
Enzugusi recorded an electric goal to make it 2-0 in the 53^rd minute. The junior forward spun his defender like a top with a fake inside before darting back outside, only to evade another defender with a sharp cut into the heart of the box. Enzugusi curled a beauty of a shot into the side netting to seal his team-best third goal of the season.
 
"From an attacking perspective, we continue to show very good progress with our building phase and patiently breaking teams down," Smith said. "Equally as pleasing was the fact that we were more clinical in the final third. Excellent build up, delivery, and finish for our first goal by Austin, and a great, quick counterattack and special individual quality by Leroy to extend our lead."
 
Goalkeeper Luke Anderson and his backline were rock solid en route to recording Drake's third-straight clean sheet. Anderson recorded three saves on the night, none bigger than his penalty kick rejection in the 73^rd minute.
 
Bradley's Gerit Wintermeyer, who co-led the MVC in points a season ago, stepped to the spot and challenged Anderson low and to the keeper's right, but Anderson left his line at just the right moment and punched the shot out of harm's way before being swarmed by celebrating teammates.
 
"From a defensive perspective, we were excellent from back to front," Smith said. "A special mention to our two center backs, Liam Wilson and Scott Misselhorn, who were flawless dealing with Bradley's key players, as well as Luke Anderson, who helped the team maintain three clean sheets in a row with his outstanding penalty kick save and another first-class save late in the game."
 
The Bulldogs (4-3-0, 1-0-0 MVC) will look for their fifth win in six matches on the road against Valparaiso on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
 
"We are making very good progress and developing a higher level of consistency in several areas of performance, and that's always pleasing to see," Smith said. "Now we turn our attention to preparations for Valparaiso next week."