NASHVILLE, Ill. – Belmont's Belicia Mendiola drilled home a free kick from 30 yards out just 1:40 into overtime Friday sending the Bruins to a 1-0 win over SIUE in Ohio Valley Conference women's soccer at E.S. Rose Park.
"We played good but not great," SIUE Head Coach Derek Burton said. "On the road you have to find a little extra and we didn't find that tonight."
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The loss dropped the Cougars to 2-1 in the OVC and 4-5-2 overall. Belmont improved to 1-2 in OVC play and 2-6-3 overall.
Mendiola hit the free kick high and SIUE goalkeeper Juli Rossi got her fingertips on the ball. It then deflected in off the crossbar.
"It was in the perfect spot and for the perfect player," Burton said of the kick. "She put a great ball on frame."
The SIUE defense bent but didn't break until Mediola's game-winner in overtime.
Mendiola finished with a game-high six shots, including four on goal to pace a Bruins offense which finished with 20 shots, the second-most for an SIUE opponent this season.
"Our back five and Juli (Rossi) all played 90-plus minutes," Burton said. "And played really well."
Rossi finished with seven saves, which was second-most in her career.
The Cougars finished with 13 shots, including eight on goal. Peyton Roehnelt took five shots, including three on frame. Alexis Royal finished with three shots, two of which were on target. Belmont goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec made eight saves for the shutout.
SIUE continues its three game road swing with a 1 p.m. game Sunday at Jacksonville State.
"I told the team that the opportunity is still there to salvage the weekend," Burton added. "Nothing feels better than a Sunday win when you have an eight and a half-hour bus ride home."
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