Lancers continue hot streak with road win
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Playing its first match as an NAIA ranked team in decades, Grace’s men’s soccer team defeated Holy Cross 3-0 on Wednesday.
The Lancers (5-1-1) won their fourth straight game, recording their fourth shutout of the season in the process.
No. 24 Grace used goals from Cody Boerema, Togo Narusawa and Ulisses Miranda in the rout of the Saints (1-5).
The Lancers wasted little time jumping ahead of the Saints. Before 15 minutes had expired, Grace had netted twice.
In the 12th minute, Breno Oliveira set up Narusawa for the game’s first goal. The Lancers continued to apply pressure and kept the Saints on their defensive half of the field.
At the 14:58 mark, Grace’s lead doubled. Boerema assisted Miranda to put the Lancers on top 2-0.
The Saints could only muster two shots offensively in the first half; Grace went into halftime ahead by two. But Grace wasn’t done scoring yet.
The Lancers tried two shots early in the second and eventually scored again in the 69th minute. Narusawa added an assist to his earlier goal, finding Boerema for his second goal of the season.
The Saints struggled to put together much of a fight. Holy Cross mustered just one shot over the final 20 minutes after falling behind by three goals.
Kurt Hamlin picked up his fourth shutout of the season as goalkeeper. He made three saves in 90 minutes.
Miranda tallied three shots to lead all players, and Marcelo Talamas, Boerema, Colin Cape and Tyler Brueckman each shot twice.
The Lancers will end the week with a major test. Grace will play at No. 12 Cardinal Stritch on Saturday in an NAIA Top 25 showdown.
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