OWENSBORO, Ky.--The Bellarmine University men's soccer team won their Great Lakes Valley Conference opener by overwhelming the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers 4-0 this afternoon at Horse Park Creek Park.

The Knights (2-0, 1-0 GLVC) turned in a dominating performance, outshooting the hosts 21-2 and owning a 9-0 advantage in corner kicks.  Bellarmine also kept Panther goalkeeper Ryan Samuels extremely busy by getting off 17 shots on goal.

Two Bellarmine newcomers combined to open the game's scoring when Joseph Bettger (St. Louis, Mo., St. Louis University High) got an assist from Matt Weston (Louisville, Ky., Kentucky Country Day) to score in the game's 35th minute.  The Knights took that 1-0 into halftime

After the break, Bradley Barraclough (Lincoln, England, Lincoln College ) scored his third goal of the young season as junior Jack Binns (Goole, England, John Leggott College) picked up the assist.  Ross Hopkins (Skerries, Ireland, Colaiste Ide College ) made it 3-0 when he converted a penalty kick in the 72nd minute.

Robert Bowling closed out the scoring with less than a minute remaining as he scored on a pass from Michael Whitman with just 37 ticks left on the clock.

Kentucky Wesleyan fall to 0-1 (0-1 GLVC) on the season.

Bellarmine is back in action on Friday, Sept. 10, when the Knights host Northern Kentucky in another GLVC contest.  The game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.

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