Lancers Topple No. 19 Knights in Ranked Battle

WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's men's soccer team resumed its winning ways with a Top-25 victory on Saturday.

The No. 21 Lancers took down No. 19 Marian, winning 3-0 in convincing fashion.

The match was a warm one, taking place on a hot Homecoming Saturday in front of a full crowd at 1st Source Bank Field.

After a quiet first half, the Red Zone faithful were rewarded with a trio of goals after halftime.

The Lancers (9-2-2, 3-1 Crossroads League) boast a sizzling 8-1 record over the past month, collecting a pair of Top-25 upsets in the process.

The first half was a picture of control for the Lancers. Grace dominated the half, outshooting Marian 10-0 and racking up five corner kicks.

Grace's offense consistently found chances in the half, including a trio of shots from Joao Parreira.

Vasco Tavares and Miguel Lourenco were also deadly on aerial opportunities, including a header from Tavares that just whizzed above the crossbar.

Grace only had two of its 10 shots on target, however, allowing Marian to keep the game scoreless as the match reached halftime. Grace held 58 percent of possession in the half.

The Lancer crowd did not need to wait long to see a goal after halftime. Nine minutes into the second half, Grace found the breakthrough moment.

Tavares tried a shot from outside the penalty box that struck the goal post. The ball ricocheted back into play, and Diego Yanes nodded in a header for the game's first goal.

Grace netted again 11 minutes later. Joao Parreira juked two defenders in midfield and drove toward Marian's goal. After drawing more defenders, he laid off a pass in the box to Luis Munoz, and Munoz tucked his shot inside the far past.

With eight minutes remaining, Grace added an insurance goal in a similar fashion. This time, Juan Garcia was the catalyst as he sped through the middle of Marian's defense. Garcia pushed a pass to Munoz, and Munoz pinged a shot off the goal post and into the back of the net.

Grace finished the match outshooting the Knights 20-6. The Lancers had twice as many corner kicks as well (8 to 4).

The Lancers' defense recorded the shutout. Pedro Galante made five saves to earn the clean sheet, and he was protected well by starters Tavares, Tren Schurgers and Lourenco.

Next week, Grace will travel to No. 5 Bethel on Saturday for another ranked matchup. Grace and Bethel are the top two teams in the league after four contests.