SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men's soccer team battled for nearly 98 minutes with the Crossroads League Tournament championship on the line, but was unable to tally the game-winning goal, ultimately falling to Grace College 4-3 in overtime Saturday evening at the Cougar Soccer Complex.

After falling behind 2-0 early, the Cougars rallied back scoring three unanswered goals to take the lead. However, a late second half goal by the visitors forced overtime, and eight minutes into the extra period, the Lancers found the golden goal clinching the league title.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: #21 Spring Arbor 3, Grace 4

LOCATION: Cougar Soccer Complex | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 16-4-1, Grace 12-4-4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Grace jumped on the host Cougars early scoring in the 11th minute. Then, less than nine minutes later, the Lancers doubled their lead on a penalty kick by Cody Boerema.
• Spring Arbor maintained its composure and was able to even the score before halftime. Lewis Jones finished a cross from Michael Procopio in the 32nd minute, and Stephen Gabriele sidestepped his way through a pair of defenders before finding Morris Kamara for the equalizer in the 35th minute.
• The Cougars grabbed their first lead of the match in the 62nd minute following a goal from Janum Sailor.
• A bad bounce proved costly for SAU near the end of regulation. An attempted clear off a Lancer shot bounced right to Grace's Damon Binkley, who ripped a shot past SAU goalkeeper Isiah Handspike for his second goal of the night.
• Nearing the end of the first overtime, GC's Joshua Coupar sent a cross into the box and Nikola Djordjevic flicked it over the head of Handspike.
• Spring Arbor outshot Grace 28-18 and held a 6-1 advantage on corner kicks.
• Handspike finished the match with seven saves.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Spring Arbor suffered its first loss to Grace since the 2015 season. The Cougars were 2-0-1 in the last three meetings with the Lancers prior to Saturday.
• The loss snapped SAU's 33-match home unbeaten streak, which dated back to the 2014 campaign.
• The four goals were the most the Cougars conceded since giving up five to Johnson & Wales University back on Sept. 1.
• Jones scored his career-best ninth goal of the season.
• Kamara added to his league-lead with his 17th goal of the campaign.

UP NEXT

With the loss, Spring Arbor must wait for a possible at-large bid into the 2017 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship. The men's soccer championship selection show is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. ET on the PlayNAIA Facebook page.

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