Men’s soccer opens season with 3-1 ‘Boulevard’ win over Belmont

Friday night, roadside rivals Lipscomb University and Belmont University kicked off their seasons in a “Battle of the Boulevard” match-up. The 17th meeting between the teams ended with the Bisons hoisting the Red Bull Trophy yet again after posting a 3-1 victory over the Bruins.  The Bisons, in their white and purple striped uniforms, took the field around 6 p.m. to warm up. Ten minutes later, the Bruins, dressed in red, took the opposite end of the field in an attempt to win back the coveted title of ‘Battle’ Champions. From the beginning of the match, Belmont started off aggressive and pushed deep into Lipscomb’s defense multiple times. For the rest of the game, the Bisons’ defense was not so generous. Lipscomb held their own against a good opponent, taking 11 shots on goal and making 3, while the Bison defense allowed 7 shots on goal. Only one found itself in the back of Lipscomb’s net. The first Bison goal arrived when Josue Chavez, the sophomore midfielder from Colorado, took an open shot from 25 yards away to get the ball rolling on Lipscomb’s eventual win. If there wasn’t any other indication that these two teams are rivals, the seven cards — six yellow and one red — certainly said enough. From the 38th minute on, Belmont played a man down after Cody Stratton was ejected for a slide from behind. Of the other cards, Belmont and Lipscomb each had three cautions. The visiting team did not not make it easy for Lipscomb to nab the win, however. Trailing 2-0 entering halftime, the Bruins worked hard to get back...