PEORIA, Ill. - Bradley committed a rash of defensive miscues and Xavier took full advantage en route to a 4-2 win Thursday night at Shea Stadium.

 

The Braves twice had what appeared to be easy opportunities to clear balls deep in their own end, but turned it over for a pair of easy Xavier goals, then the Braves committed a bad turnover in their defensive end to set the table for a 3-0 Musketeers lead 49 minutes into the game.

 

Bradley kept up enough pressure to get within 3-1, but Xavier took advantage of the pressure for a counter attack goal in the 65th minute, then held on for the win.

 

Xavier grabbed the early lead when Eric McWoods pressured the Bradley backs deep in their penalty area, eventually knocking the ball free to spring Alex Ridsdale for a wide open look on the left flank and the junior midfielder buried the opportunity for a 1-0 advantage at 23:58.

 

The Musketeers struck similar luck in the 43rd minute, when a trio of Bradley defenders had an opportunity for a clearance, but instead, Matt Vasquenza pounced on a loose ball on the right flank and raced in for a 1-v-1 chance against Bradley keeper Shay Niemeyer.  Vasquenza buried the opportunity for a 2-0 Xavier lead at 42:56.

 

Bradley outshot Xavier, 6-3, in the first half and the two goals were the only two attempts the Musketeers put on target in the opening frame.

 

Bradley's back line again faltered to start the second half, Will Walker intercepted a soft pass in Xavier's attacking third.  Walker fed Ridsdale toward the top of the 18, and he curled a 20-yard shot around Niemeyer inside the right post for a 3-0 Musketeers lead at 48:30.

 

The Braves would not go down without a fight, however, and pulled to within 3-1 when Cody Lofgren took a quick short corner from Alex Garcia and rifled the ball from the right endline into the crowd in front of the net.  The ball ricocheted off Grant Bell at the left post for Bell's team-leading third goal of the year at 60:24.

 

With Bradley pressuring and looking for a foul call about 25 yards out from the goal, Xavier put together a counter attack that ended with Vasquenza's second goal of the night, another 1-v-1 look against Niemeyer from about 12 yards out for a 4-1 lead at 64:03.

 

The Braves again used a corner kick situation to close the gap to 4-2.  After an initial clearance of the corner service, Alex Garcia collected the ball near the right endline and his second service found Lofgren at the near post.  Lofgren re-directed the ball with a toe for his first goal of the season at 73:47.

 

The Braves got three more shots in the final 18 minutes, including a great look at a header by Andrew Brown that crossed the face of the goal in the 84th minute, but the home squad would come no closer.

 

After allowing 10 goals in the opening three games, the most surrendered by the Braves in a 3-game stretch since 1996, the Braves will have a week to recuperate.  Bradley will not return to action until visiting San Diego Sept. 12 and the Braves will not return home until opening a 5-game home stand Oct. 6 versus nationally-ranked Denver.