DULUTH, Minn. – A day after playing to a scoreless draw against the No. 21 team in the nation Friday, the Yellowjacket men's soccer team was back on the pitch Saturday, taking on a UW-Platteville team that was also receiving votes in the national polls.

And for the 'Jackets, Saturday was a case of, "We have some good news, and we have some bad news."
 
First the good news – after going scoreless through the first two matches of the year, the Yellowjackets finally found the scoresheet.
 
And now for the bad news – after posting shutouts in the first two matches of the season, the Yellowjackets also gave up goals for the first time this season.
 
UW-Platteville scored once in each half to edge the Yellowjackets 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Public Schools Stadium. The loss keeps the Yellowjackets (0-1-2, -0-0-0 UMAC) searching for their first win of the 2024 season.
 
After a sluggish first half, the Yellowjackets went into the break trailing Platteville 1-0. Early in the second half, Josh Bellamy (High Wycombe, England/FAB Football Academy) got the Yellowjackets on the board, converting a penalty kick in the first minute of the second half, evening the match. Platteville answered, however, getting a lucky bounce in the 54th minute to provide the winning margin.
 
Match Notes

• Bellamy's penalty kick goal in the opening minute of the second half came when Jake Kidd (Superior, Wis./Superior) was fouled by a Platteville player in the box.
• On the goal, Bellamy got the goalkeeper diving to his left and put the ball in the lower left corner of the goal with his right foot.
• Justin Williams opened the scoring for Platteville in the 15th minute to make it 1-0.
• After the Yellowjackets tied the match, Platteville regained the lead when Ethan Dietrich took a shot from 30 yards out that went off a Yellowjacket and eluded goalkeeper Alex Paredes (Mequon, Wis./Homestead), making it 2-1.
• Paredes finished with two saves in the match, both of which came in the first half.
• The Yellowjackets outshot Platteville 6-4 and attempted 10 shots to the Pioneers' nine.
• It was a physical match, with the teams combining for 18 fouls and six yellow cards.
• Platteville goalkeeper Lucas Cisneros finished with five saves.

The Yellowjackets are back on the road Wednesday when they take on St. Scholastica. The non-conference match is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Kenny Harkins Field in Duluth.
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