WINONA LAKE, Ind. - The historic season for Grace's men's soccer team came to an end via a 3-1 loss to Lindsey Wilson in the first round of the NAIA tournament.
The Lancers finish the season with a record of 11-3-6. They set the program for longest unbeaten streak to start a season (13 games) and were ranked in the top for multiple weeks, including the highest rank in school history.
The Lancers started the game more confidently on the slick but smooth surface. The Lancers possessed the ball cleanly across the first 25 minutes, earning a few corner kicks.
Lindsey Wilson seemed content to withstand the pressure and look for counter attacking opportunities, but Grace's defense dealt with those moments well.
Ze Maria Goncalves, making his first start of the season after recovering from injury, took the first shot of the game for the Lancers which was saved.
Goncalves nearly had a fairy tale start to his season and almost scored the opening goal. After a free kick,
Dan Allen played a header across the face of goal. Goncalves tried a lofted header that beat the goalkeeper but clanged off the crossbar.
Blake Burns had another golden chance a few minutes later. He intercepted the goalkeeper and tried a shot from the endline, but his attempt from a difficult angle went wide.
With 19 minutes remaining, another good buildup for Grace presented another chance. A cross connected with
Daniel Santos Rosa, who fired a hard shot that was pushed out of bounds by the Blue Raiders' goalkeeper.
Martim Sequiera manufactured another goal-scoring chance by himself, outsmarting LWC's defenders to steal a pass and create a 1-on-1 opportunity against the goalkeeper. But the Blue Raiders' goalkeeper made a last-second dive to poke the ball away from Sequiera and prevent a shot.
The go-ahead moment came with 11 minutes left in the half.
Daniel Santos Rosa was fouled in the penalty box, and
Felipe Gruber put Grace ahead with the resulting penalty kick.
The Blue Raiders had little sustained time on the ball. Lindsey Wilson had its first shot of the game 40 minutes into the contest.
The Lancers took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Grace had a 9-2 shot advantage with neither shot from LWC being threatening. The Lancers also had the only three corner kicks of the half.
Lindsey became more aggressive to begin the second half, earning three shots and a pair of corner kicks in the first six minutes of the half.
Fifteen minutes into the half, Lindsey Wilson earned six consecutive corner kicks, but the Blue Raiders were unable to produce a strong chance from any of those crosses.
But Grace's offense showed signs of life with shots in the box from Santos Rosa and
Jonny Mora being blocked.
Grace's defenders
Dan Allen,
Diogo Lopes and midfielder
TJ White made several key defensive stops to continue stymying the Blue Raiders during dangerous chances.
The Blue Raiders hit the crossbar and finally found the game-tying goal with 12 minutes remaining. Scoring off an unmarked header in the box.
Sequiera almost had a go-ahead goal with eight minutes to play, but his one-time effort from outside the box whisked wide.
Lindsey Wilson completed its comeback in the final few minutes of regulation. A penalty kick in the 87th minute gave the visitors the lead, and the Blue Raiders scored again against Grace's advanced attack.
Both teams peppered the goalkeepers with shots, as Lindsey Wilson held the overall advantage 18-12.
Matteo Conci made four saves in the start.
This was the first time ever hosting the NAIA First and Second rounds for Grace
