UPLAND, Ind. – A hard-fought Crossroads League clash went against Grace's men's soccer team on Saturday.
The Lancers (6-3-2, 1-2 CL) lost 1-0 against Taylor, dropping the match in overtime on a golden goal.
Saturday's match with the Trojans (3-7-2, 1-2 CL) was even in nearly every statistical category. Taylor had 13 shots overall and five on goal compared to 12 shots for Grace and four on goal.
The opening half featured strong chances for both sides. Cody Boerema had one of Grace's better looks on a free kick when his shot sailed just high, and Breno Oliveira also had a near-miss before halftime. Grace had a slight 5-4 advantage in shots.
The second half was similar. The two teams took turns with dangerous possessions in a back-and-forth affair.
The Lancers had a goal disallowed with less than 17 minutes remaining in regulation. Grace played a quick free kick to the right side of the field. Damon Binkley squeezed past several defenders and charged toward Taylor's goal. The ball fell to Colin Cape who one-touched his shot to the far post, but his position was judged to be offside to nullify the goal.
Grace had another golden opportunity in the final minute. Boerema received a cross on the back side of the penalty box. A nifty touch from Boerema freed the freshman up for a shot, but his effort was cleared off the goalline by a Trojan defender with less than 30 seconds on the clock.
The game remained scoreless as it headed toward overtime. The match stayed 0-0 until the final minute of the first overtime session. The Trojans converted on a cross in the box to win the game in golden-goal fashion.
Robbie Barnhill made three saves for the Lancers in goal. Oliveira and Binkley had four shots apiece, and Boerema added two.
The Lancers will remain on the road Wednesday, traveling to Indiana Wesleyan for a 7 p.m. match. The game will be livestreamed on WatchESPN here.
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