WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Three second-half goals propelled Grace's men's soccer to a Homecoming victory over Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday.

The Lancers won the opening game of the Crossroads League season in front of a packed grandstand at Miller Athletic Complex.

PHOTO GALLERY

After an uneventful first half, the game did not lack for excitement over the final 45 minutes.

The first half was a midfield battle. The Wildcats (4-4, 0-1 CL) had four of the six shots taken in the first half, but Grace's defense was organized and was never seriously threatened.

The first chance of the half fell to Grace. Nakilee Weni found space on the right side of the penalty box, but his hard shot whistled above IWU's goalpost.

Ten minutes into the second half, Grace found the back of the net. Kyle Hamlin maneuvered around two defenders on the left side of the field and took aim from 22 yards. The IWU goalkeeper could not get a glove on Hamlin's shot as his left-footed blast soared just below the crossbar for the game's first tally in the 56th minute.

The Wildcats equalized with a penalty kick at the 61:43 mark after Grace committed a foul at the edge of the penalty box.

It did not take long for the Lancers (6-3, 1-0 CL) to reestablish a lead. Jon Christensen sent in a cross from the right side of the field, and Nikola Djordjevic rose above his defender to deflect in his shot in the air in the 69th minute.

Grace continued its attack on IWU's goal with a handful of chances. The insurance goal came in the 81st minute. Thomas Tydeman made a run on the right side of the field and played a low ball across the face of the goal. Dominic Harris made an acrobatic play to stab in the goal at the far post and celebrated with a somersault in front of an elated red-clad crowd.

"I thought the game started off slowly, and our guys struggled to find any kind of balance. The second half looked better for us. We scored some beautiful goals today, and I was proud of the guys. We have a lot to improve on, but today's result was good," said Grace head coach Matt Hotchkin. "This was a great week to have so many alumni here. They are some of the finest alumni in the world. God has blessed our program with a rich history, and for that we thank Him."

Robbie Barnhill made four saves in 90 minutes to earn the win in goal for Grace. The Lancers were outshot 11-7 in the match, but Grace had six shots on goal compared to five for the Wildcats.

Saturday's win also culminated Grace's Homecoming weekend, which had a special focus on the Lancers' 50th season of competition. Members from the original 1965 and 1966 teams were in attendance in events throughout the weekend, marking a memorable few days for the program.

The Lancers continue league play on Wednesday with a trip to St. Francis at 7 p.m.