Kissimmee, FL – The men’s soccer team made the trip to nationals for the 7th consecutive year, entering as the 6th seed this time. Guaranteed 3 games in pool play, the Tigers needed to have the best record coming out of those three games within their pool to advance to the championship game. Below are the highlights from each pool play game.

Game 1 – #3 Pensacola Christian College 2, #6 Grace Christian University 1

After being down 1-0 with less than 20 minutes remaining, #3 Pensacola Christian College scored two goals in the final 8:21 to pick up a 2-1 win over #6 Grace Christian University.

• Just three minutes in, Isaac VanderMolen had a chance to get Grace Christian on the board, but a strong save from Nathaniel Hixson kept the match scoreless.
• Jacobo Ariza added another chance for the Tigers in the 21st minute, but Hixson once again made a big save for Pensacola Christian to keep the contest tied.
• PCC had their chance on offense in the 42nd minute, but a pair of shots from Odanci Ndayisaba were blocked and the two teams headed to the break scoreless.
• The Eagles opened the second half just peppering the box with shots, but a save from Logan Werschem in the 53rd minute kept PCC off the board.
• The Tigers finally found the back of the net in the 72nd minute, as Nate Newberry connected with VanderMolen, and Grace Christian took a 1-0 advantage.
• After a handball in the box, Samir Vieria Siqueira equalized the game with a penalty kick in the 82ndminute.
• Less than five minutes later, Justin Loveland gave Pensacola Christian the lead with a goal in the 87thminute to put the Eagles on top 2-1.
• Grace Christian got a corner kick with under three minutes remaining, but could not score and PCC held on for the win.

Game 2 – #6 Grace Christian University 5, #2 Alice Lloyd College 2

In the first upset of the week,#6 Grace Christian University scored early and often, rolling over #2 Alice Lloyd College 5-2 to earn their first win of the week in Pool B.

• Caden Petroelje opened the scoring for Grace Christian early, as he stole an errant Alice Lloyd pass and then rifled in a goal from almost midfield for the Tigers in the ninth minute to put GCU on top 1-0.
• Grace Christian added another goal in the 19th minute, as Elijah Berghoef and Nate Newberry moved the ball with precision to CJ Kazmerski, and the Tigers pulled ahead 2-0.
• Alice Lloyd wasted little time to cut the lead in half, as just 18 seconds later, Maddux Camden and Alex De Wolfe found Luis Sarabia to put the Eagles on the board and make it a 2-1 ball game.
• Grace Christian was able to score an additional goal to end the first half, as Isaac VanderMolen found Gavin McTavish in the 40th minute to push GCU ahead 3-1 at the break.
• The Tigers came out of the halftime break roaring, as VanderMolen scored a goal of his own off an assist by Paul Ureel just 3:36 into the second half, swelling the Grace Christian advantage to 4-1.
• Alice Lloyd found their scoring again in the 58th minute, as Luis Sarabia found Dylan Moore to cut the lead back in half, and the Eagles trailed 4-2.
• With under six minutes left in the contest, Kazmerski once again controlled the ball for Grace Christian, as he and Berghoef teamed up to find Austin Engel for the dagger, as the Tigers stunned Alice Lloyd 5-2.

Game 3 – #7 Faith Baptist Bible College 4, #6 Grace Christian University 1

Parker Lundberg scored two goals, as #7 Faith Baptist Bible College closed out their time in Kissimmee with a 3-1 win over #6 Grace Christian University.

• The Eagles opened the scoring early, Zachary Choi found Parker Lundberg in the 10th minute, and Faith Baptist Bible plowed ahead 1-0.
• Grace Christian answered a few minutes later, as Cade Petroelje shined with an unbelievable bending strike, and the Tigers found the back of the net in the 15th minute to tie the contest 1-1.
• GCU tried to take the lead in the 37th minute, but a strong save from Zeke Denger kept the match tied at one goal apiece at halftime.
• Faith Baptist Bible wasted little time taking the lead in the second half, as 35 seconds into the final frame, Cody Clark found Parker Lundberg, who ricocheted a shot off the crossbar and in to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage.
• Austin Lundberg added a third goal in the 55th minute, somehow aiming a shot while falling down to the top right corner of the net, and the Eagles pushed the advantage to 3-1.
• FBBC continued to pull away in the 79th minute, as Gavin Brahs found Noah Blomquist to put the Eagles up 4-1 late, and the contest ended with Faith Baptist Bible earning their first win of the week over Grace Christian.

Grace exited the week with a 1-2 record, not qualifying them for the championship game, and thus ending their season. The Tigers finish with an 11-8-3 overall record, and look to continue their quest next year for the national championship.