SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster men's soccer team secured its first win of the season by defeating Bellevue, 2-1, in overtime as Sunday afternoon at Dumke Field.
 
Westminster (1-1) only had three shots on goal in the game, but they were able to score on two of them. They took the 1-0 lead just before halftime when Matthew Warne deflected a clearance attempt from the Bellevue (3-1-1) keeper into the goal. The first goal of the season for the Griffins was the first career goal for Warne.
 
Bellevue found the equalizer in the 55th minute with a finish by Daniel Coupland. Jacob Pease played the ball to the top of the penalty area where Jamie Henderson flicked it on to Coupland for a sliding shot to tally his first goal of the season.
 
The visiting side had a chance in the 87th minute when Coupland tried to redirect a cross, but Taylor Ruff went low to make the stop and keep the game level.
 
Westminster would find the winner in the 98th minute on a penalty kick from Ivan Lezama. The sophomore buried his shot inside the left post as the Bellevue keeper moved right. It was the first goal of the season for Lezama and his second career goal, with both coming on penalties.
 
Ruff kept the Griffins in the game in the first half with five of this seven saves. He made a couple diving stops that kept the game scoreless early and then the big stop late in regulation.
 
The Griffins will now have 12 days off before opening Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with a home game against MSU Denver on Sept. 18.