Grace powers past USF in league debut
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – A three-goal second half lifted Grace’s women’s soccer team to a 4-1 victory at St. Francis on Wednesday.
The No. 23 Lancers (8-0-2, 1-0 Crossroads League) continued their unbeaten start to the season as they kicked off conference play.
Grace was statistically dominant, outshooting USF 19-1 and taking the only corner kicks in the match.
The Lancers, the NAIA’s top-scoring team, needed less than four minutes to score against the Cougars (6-2-1). At the 3:36 mark, quick touch passing from Nora Pollock and Madelief Lowik set up Rylee Burns, and Burns slammed her shot past the goalkeeper.
Grace had no trouble generating chances in the half; the Lancers had eight shots on goal before halftime.
The Cougars had just one shot in the first half, one that happened to be their only goal of the match. USF was awarded a free kick from beyond 30 yards away from goal. The Cougars sank the deep free kick, sneaking the attempt under the crossbar.
USF held the 1-1 scoreline as the teams reached halftime. Grace had a 10-1 shot advantage in the half.
Grace continued its offensive assertion after halftime. Pollock hit a crossbar with her shot in the 53rd minute, and the Lancers kept pressure on the Cougars’ defense.
The go-ahead moment came in the 71st minute. Pollock received the ball on the left edge of the penalty box; she took a few dribbles and found space to place her shot in the top corner of the net, pushing Grace ahead for good.
Four minutes later, the Lancers struck again. Zoe Mueller sent in a free kick from the left side of the field. Pollock beat her defender to the aerial ball and pushed her shot inside the near post to propel Grace in front 3-1.
The final tally came in the 88th minute. The Cougars were unable to clear Grace’s corner kick, resulting in a shot from Abby Hodkin. The shot was blocked, but Cassidy Felger snatched the loose ball and slotted her shot beyond the goalkeeper.
Felger nearly added another with a shot in the box, but her effort was saved off the goal line by a Cougar defender.
Pollock finished the match with two goals and an assist, raising her NAIA-leading tally to 14 assists this year.
Grace now has seven games this year with at least four goals scored.
The Lancers will return home on Saturday for a 7 p.m. match against Huntington.