CHICAGO, Ill. - Grace's men's soccer team won for the fifth time in six tries on Saturday with a double overtime victory.
The Lancers (5-3) scored in the 107th minute to beat Moody Bible Institute 1-0.
Grace outshot the Archers (1-6) by a count of 25-4 and held Moody without a shot attempt in either overtime period. But Grace's finishing was off, setting the stage for a late winner.
Grace began the match with an offensive edge, firing two shots on goal in the first 2:20 of play. Overall for the opening half, Grace had nine shots compared to two for Moody. But the match remained scoreless entering halftime.
The second half was even more lopsided for shots in Grace's favor. The Lancers had a 12-2 advantage in shots over the final 45 minutes of regulation, including three shots in the final 10 minutes. Yet the game was to be decided in overtime.
The game-deciding moment came halfway through the second overtime period. Kyle Hamlin gained advantage on the enplane and passed it through the penalty box to Dominic Harris for the clean finish at the 106:18 mark.
"We played against a fired-up Moody team today. They played with a lot of heart. Our guys played well and definitely controlled the complete game, but Moody made it very difficult to score," said Grace head coach Matt Hotchkin. "I'm happy we got the win because I felt we were the better team, but I'd also say that we missed a lot of chances that we cannot afford to miss in conference play. Our Crossroads League looks solid, and this will be a great challenge for our guys."
Hamlin led all players with six shots — all on goal — outshooting Moody by himself. Colin Cape fired four shots, and Thomas Tydeman and Harris had three shots apiece.
Robbie Barnhill posted the shutout win in goal, needing to make just one save as Grace's goalkeeper.
The Lancers will transition to the Crossroads League season. Grace's first opponent comes on Saturday against NAIA No. 10 Indiana Wesleyan. The Lancers' match against the Wildcats starts at 2 p.m. and will climax the weekend's Homecoming festivities on campus. A special ceremony will take place during the contest to honor the program's 50th season of collegiate competition. To find out more, visit www.GCLancers.com/soccer50.
