BELLEVUE, Neb. – After surrendering two losses in recent outings and falling out of the NAIA Coaches' Top 25, (RV) Missouri Baptist men's soccer got back in the win column.

It took a grueling effort, but MBU (6-2) managed to put away Bellevue (2-6-2) 2-1 thanks to a pair of goals from familiar faces and a lockdown second half defensively.

MoBap were the aggressors in the early going, logging six shots in the first in the first 17 minutes of action, and managed a dream start just five minutes in. After midfielder Matteo Uez was played in by forward Louie Perez and drew a foul in the Bruins box, freshman Marko Dordevic stepped up and slotted home the awarded penalty kick (5:05). It was Dordevic's fourth goal of the campaign and his first in three games.

Bellevue would answer in due time with a score from Alvaro Moros Sanz that was assisted by Alex Jacobs (18:34). The game would stay at a 1-1 tie for nearly 19 minutes, as both sides' offenses cooled down. Just three more shots in total would come the rest of the half.

MoBap only logged one of those final three first period attempts, but it was all it needed to regain the advantage. Perez, the Spartans leading goal scorer, was the man to get it done. With an opportunity on the break, senior Joe Ruane passed it ahead to Perez, who took note of the Bruins goalkeeper Romeo Paparesta being far off his line. Perez's driven lobbed shot was on target and beat the retreating keeper for his ninth goal of the season (36:59).

MBU would push for an insurance tally in the early part of the second and nearly got it off a Perez strike that hit the post in the 59th minute but were unable to add another goal. The Spartan defense survived a barrage of shots and corner kick chances for Bellevue over the last half hour of regulation. Seniors and center back partners Nicolo Tossici and Ross Wilson stood tall the whole 90 minutes in front of keeper Callum McKinlay, who also showed out with seven saves, to get MoBap finally bounce back after a week of waiting following the loss to Bethel University (Tenn.).

The two goals for Perez and Dordevic marked the third game this season that both found the scoresheet. The attacking pair have combined for 29 points through eight games this season.

"[Bellevue] have had some tough opponents and we knew we had to bring a good mentality and energy," head coach Jake Alvernia said following the victory. "We're happy to have come out on top today and respond to [the] losses last week. Now we'll get ready for conference play to start."

Missouri Baptist again has a week off before its next action, this time with a shorter trip in store. The Spartans will make the short trip within St. Louis to open its conference schedule, facing AMC crosstown foe University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy on Saturday Oct. 1st at 1 p.m.