No. 17 Grace Topples No. 13 Spring Arbor
WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's women's soccer team collected a statement victory, stunning No. 13 Spring Arbor 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The Lancers (11-2-2, 4-2 Crossroads League) were dominant in the win, outshooting SAU 12-3 to collect Grace's third Top-25 win of the season.
Grace impressed in the first half, controlling large swaths of the game with the team's trademarked possession attack.
The match was void of offensive chances in the first 20 minutes. The Lancers had the first six shots of the match, building strong opportunities against the Cougars' backline.
Nora Pollock had Grace's first shot, a close-range effort that whizzed by the near post.
Cassidy Felger and Ellie Grieser also found space qoutside the penalty box, taking two shots just a minute apart. Both attempts sailed above the crossbar.
Grace struck first in the 24th minute. Audrey Abel received a pass and calmly dribbled through a pack of Cougar midfielders. Her patience paid off as her last cut created space for a shot, and Abel buried the attempt past the goalkeeper.
The Cougars did not find a shot attempt until the final 10 minutes of the first half.
Grace goalkeeper Ivy Cline did well in goal as SAU jumpstarted its offense with a few late shot attempts. Cline pushed one shot over the crossbar and saved another in the final minute.
Grace went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, taking a 6-3 shot advantage into the locker room.
The second half was a masterclass in control for Grace. The Lancers moved the ball around fluidly after halftime, erasing any chances for SAU.
The Cougars had zero shots after halftime; Grace's central midfielders Felger and Abel were conductors, controlling the middle of the pitch.
Nine minutes into the second half, Rosalie Gefrorer tried a shot at the top of the box that was saved.
Three minutes later, Grace earned a dangerous free kick after a SAU yellow card. Abel's resulting free kick attempt went high of the goal, however.
As the second half wore on, Grace's possession seemed to get the better of the Cougars. With five minutes remaining, a Cougar collected her second yellow card offense of the half and was sent off with a red card.
Grace quickly took advantage with an insurance goal. Felger made an incisive pass into the box toward Pollock. Pollock crossed in front of the face of the goal, and Madelief Lowik finished off the pass, kicking in Grace's second goal of the match.
The Lancers outshot SAU 6-0 after halftime and had a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks as well.
Grace earned its 11th shutout of the season. Cline saved three shots to preserve the clean sheet, and she was protected well by defenders Zoe Mueller, Jaylin Young, Heidi Kever, Hannah Medlin and Elizabeth Maciejewski.
The Lancers will hit the road for their next two matches, beginning at Goshen on Saturday.