No. 4 RedHawks sneak by No. 14 Grace in NAIA opening round

by | Apr 18, 2021 | RRSN News, Soccer Blogs | 0 comments

No. 4 RedHawks sneak by No. 14 Grace

PULASKI, Tenn. – Grace’s women’s soccer team fell in the 85th minute to No. 4 Martin Methodist on Saturday in the NAIA Opening Round, officially ending Grace’s season with a 1-0 scoreline.

The Lady Lancers played at a disadvantage for the majority of the game when an early red card forced Grace to play 11 versus 10.

Despite the odds stacked against Grace, the Lady Lancers still went toe to toe with the No. 4 RedHawks (18-0). Martin entered the game with the No. 1-scoring offense in the NAIA, averaging five goals per game.

But Grace held Martin to a single goal in the final minutes, marking the first time all season the RedHawks scored less than two goals in a game.

Grace had to make adjustments even before the game kicked off. Three days ago Grace lost a starter to COVID, forcing the team to adjust positions across the pitch. Taylor Binkerd, Liz Aalbue and Lea Moessinger were placed into unique, enhanced roles, and Danae Moriarty made her fourth start of the year as a result.

But Grace proved to be adaptable, nearly handing Martin a loss on its home turf.

Grace possessed the ball adeptly across the first 20 minutes of the opening half, moving the ball into dangerous positions.

The RedHawks were forced to counterattack, and Grace limited the hosts to two long-range shots.

The game took a turn for the worse for Grace, however, when the Lady Lancers were issued a straight red card on Grace’s first foul of the game. Grace was forced to play 11 versus 10 for the final 72 minutes of regulation.

The RedHawks had a few more chances after the red card, but Grace remained organized. The most dangerous moment came after an errant pass by Grace in the back, but Bethany Blackwood made a strong save on a shot inside the penalty box.

Grace kept the game scoreless at halftime. Martin Methodist had a 10-1 shot advantage. The RedHawks also had a 6-2 edge in fouls.

The Lady Lancers played bravely despite the red card, continuing to push for offensive chances rather than retreating into a defensive shell.

Grace’s offense largely came from the hold-up play from JJ Aalbue and the dribbling wizardry of Sacia Hanson.

The Lady Lancers’ defense gave Martin fits throughout regulation. Any chances that Martin had were outside the penalty box except for one shot with eight minutes remaining. Blackwood made a remarkable save, this time diving on the grass to prevent a winner.

But Martin finally broke through in the 85th minute, blasting a shot through traffic which found the back of the net.

Grace ends the year with a 12-6-1 record. The team’s only losses were to teams who are currently ranked in the top-eight of the NAIA or NCAA Div. II.

Grace reached the championship game of the Crossroads League Tournament as well as the NCCAA National Championships. The Lady Lancers qualified for the NAIA Tournament this month for the third straight season and fourth time since 2015 under head coach Michael Voss.

The future is bright for the No. 14 Lady Lancers as the team will return 9 of its 11 regular starters for the 2021 fall season.

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