Twice As Nice: Grace Repeats As NCCAA Champs
December 4, 2022 at 10:48 p.m.
Twice As Nice: Grace Repeats As NCCAA Champs
By Josh Neuhart-
The Lady Lancers rolled in Saturday’s championship bout, partying its way to a 6-0 win over Oakland City at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.
Grace nabbed its second championship in team history and the 14th championship overall for Grace Athletics.
JJ Aalbue was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and Marlene Menzel earned the Select Golden Ball for the most goals in the tournament.
Menzel collected her second straight hat trick to power Grace’s offense, and Kailey Burrell scored twice in her final collegiate game.
Saturday’s final got off to a dream start for Grace. Aalbue gained an edge on the end line and fired a hard shot. Her attempt was parried away by the goalkeeper, but Aalbue alertly collected the loose ball and pounded in her goal less than three minutes into the game.
Grace’s next best chance came in the 15th minute. Aalbue broke free in the middle of the field and crossed to Janni Bettin, but Bettin’s one-time volley went high.
Five minutes later, Grace doubled its lead. It was sparked by Aalbue, who beat a defender on the left edge of the field. A firm cross found Marlene Menzel wide open at the far post for a clean finish.
The next 20 minutes were a masterclass in possession for Grace. The Mighty Oaks had little time on the ball, and Grace moved the ball forwards and backwards, left and right with ease.
Grace found a third goal just before halftime. Ashley VandenBoom fired a shot that was saved; the ball fell to Kailey Burrell, who scored from a tight angle just to the left of the goal.
Grace went into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead.
The Lady Lancers outshot Oakland City 11-3 in the first half; Grace had the only nine shots on goal during the half and the only four corner kicks.
The Mighty Oaks had some of their best offensive moments during the first 10 minutes of the second half, pushing forward in an attempt to rally.
But Grace’s defense held firm. Sofia Lerro made two strong saves in the course of a minute to preserve the clean sheet. She combined with Kimberly Aalbue to record the championship shutout in goal.
Grace still had three more goals remaining. Menzel got the first in the 66th minute, tagging a shot from outside the penalty box that pierced the back of the net.
The fifth goal completed Menzel’s hat trick. Shannon Farnsworth made a perfect cross to Menzel, who drilled her shot under the crossbar for a 5-0 lead.
The final goal came in the 86th minute. Aalbue picked out Burrell in a dangerous spot on the left side of the field. Burrell took care of the rest, drilling her shot into the back of the net.
Grace finished the match with a 20-9 advantage in shots, including 14-2 in shots on goal.
Aalbue had a goal and two assists, Burrell had two goals, and Menzel scored three times. Menzel scored seven goals across the four NCCAA games, and Aalbue had four goals and three assists for the week.
Defensively, Simone Castaneda, Lucy Schmitt, Danae Moriarty, Lilli Oberhoff and Erin Crew did well to blank the Mighty Oaks.
After the tournament, Aalbue, Lea Moessinger, Oberhoff and Lea Fricke were named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team.
Saturday concludes a sensational tournament for Grace. The Lady Lancers, who were the No. 1 seed, won all four games by a combined scoreline of 17-2.
The win wraps up the sterling careers of Grace’s senior class. The group earned a spot in four straight NAIA national tournaments and collected the first two national titles in team history.
Grace ends the year with an impressive 17-5-2 record under head coach Michael Voss; it marks the second-most wins and second-best winning percentage in team history.
Lancers’ Streak Reaches 10 With Hard Fought Win
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s men’s basketball team improved their record to 10-0 with a hard fought 72-65 win over St. Francis on Saturday afternoon.
The game was tightly contested throughout, as the margin stayed within single digits the entire game. Balanced scoring lifted, as four players cracked double digits. Grace is now 10-0 for the second consecutive season.
Frankie Davidson scored four early points for Grace, but the Lancers couldn’t find any separation from the visiting Cougars as just two points separated the squads at the first media timeout.
Grace had several opportunities to distance themselves, but USF’s hot 3-point shooting in the first half (55.6 Percent) kept them within striking distance.
The Cougars were able to jump ahead by three-points late in the first, but Grace closed the half on a 12-6 run, which included a pair of spectacular plays from Jakob Gibbs to reclaim the lead 38-35 lead into halftime.
Elijah Malone had 10 points and seven rebounds to pace Grace at the half as the Lancers shot an even 50 percent from the field.
The Cougars scored the first four points in the second half as the back-and-forth battle continued.
Jake Wadding ignited a fastbreak opportunity with a block on the defensive end and Davidson ran the length court to finish with a layup that pushed the Lancers ahead by six points.
USF responded quickly however, as back-to-back 3-point baskets tied the game back up at 52 apiece.
Carter Stoltzfus got involved in a pair of scoring plays that seemed to finally put the game in Grace’s control. Stoltzfus assisted on a Jakob Gibbs jumper, before knocking in one of his own that extended the lead to seven points with six minutes remaining.
The feisty Cougars tried to claw their way back, but the Lancers showed poise to hold on for the 72-65 victory.
Grace was once again efficient from the field, hitting on 54 percent of their attempts. USF’s 3-point shooting cooled off in the second half as they finished at 36 percent for the game.
Davidson led all players with 21 points, and Malone double-doubled with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Cade and Jakob Gibbs finished with 15 points and 12 points respectively.
The Lancers will now begin a four-game road trip which will begin on Tuesday as the Lancers travel to Cornerstone.
Grace Ties Program Record With Sixth Straight Win
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s women’s basketball team extended its winning streak to six straight with a 64-51 win over St. Francis on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers continued their impressive start to the season, improving to 8-1 and remaining undefeated in Crossroads League play (4-0).
Grace’s six-game winning streak ties a program record, a mark they’ve hit twice in the past (2020-21, 1998-99).
With Grace’s top two scorers quiet on offense, the Lady Lancers showcased their depth. Kaylee Patton paced Grace with 18 points, Kiersten Findley scored 16, and Peyton Murphy added 11 points.
Midway into the first quarter, Grace gained separation. The Lady Lancers rattled off six straight points, using buckets from Peyton Murphy, Kaylee Patton and Jenna Blakley to nab a 12-6 lead.
Grace took a 14-9 lead as the first quarter concluded. The Lady Lancers held USF to 27 percent shooting. Grace struggled from deep in the opening period, missing all seven of its 3-point tries.
The Lady Lancers struggled to get their offense going in the second quarter, needing over six minutes to score. But Grace’s defense also kept USF in check. The Cougars only scored two points over the first 5:30 of the quarter.
The Cougars eventually scored the first six points of the frame to open up a small lead.
Grace finally hit its first 3-pointer — after missing its first 10 tries — to break Grace’s scoring drought. Patton banked in a wing triple to give Grace a 17-15 lead.
Patton’s triple seemed to open up the rims as Grace made its next two 3s as well. Patton hit another one minute later from the same spot, and Kiersten Findley buried a 3-pointer in transition to hand Grace a five-point lead.
The Lady Lancers held its advantage and led 27-22 at halftime. Grace only shot 37 percent from the floor and 23 percent on 3-pointers, but the Cougars were even lower. USF shot just 30 percent as a team.
Patton’s 10 points led Grace at the break, and Findley added seven more.
Patton’s strong half carried into the second half. She scored the first five points of the half, pushing Grace’s lead to 10.
USF took advantage of foul trouble from Grace to pull closer in the middle portions of the third quarter. The Cougars trailed by just four when Murphy converted a timely and-1 to give Grace breathing room.
USF made a late layup as the third quarter concluded, but Grace still led 44-36 at the end of the period.
The Cougars had little left in the tank in the fourth quarter. Grace’s defensive intensity and fast-paced offense seemed to wear down USF over the final 10 minutes.
Grace led by at least 10 points for the entirety of the quarter, leading by as many as 19 before coasting to the final 13-point margin of victory.
Patton shot 7 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 7 on 3-pointers for her 18 points, adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Findley’s 16 points came with three assists, and Murphy amassed 11 points, 6 boards and 1 steal.
Karlee Feldman had just five points, but she contributed mightily in the post with 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Maddie Ryman was also quiet with two points, but she contributed with four assists and four boards.
Blakley scored seven points off the bench, and Molly Long also drained a 3-pointer in the closing minutes.
The Lady Lancers have one game next week, playing at Taylor on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Lancers rolled in Saturday’s championship bout, partying its way to a 6-0 win over Oakland City at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.
Grace nabbed its second championship in team history and the 14th championship overall for Grace Athletics.
JJ Aalbue was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and Marlene Menzel earned the Select Golden Ball for the most goals in the tournament.
Menzel collected her second straight hat trick to power Grace’s offense, and Kailey Burrell scored twice in her final collegiate game.
Saturday’s final got off to a dream start for Grace. Aalbue gained an edge on the end line and fired a hard shot. Her attempt was parried away by the goalkeeper, but Aalbue alertly collected the loose ball and pounded in her goal less than three minutes into the game.
Grace’s next best chance came in the 15th minute. Aalbue broke free in the middle of the field and crossed to Janni Bettin, but Bettin’s one-time volley went high.
Five minutes later, Grace doubled its lead. It was sparked by Aalbue, who beat a defender on the left edge of the field. A firm cross found Marlene Menzel wide open at the far post for a clean finish.
The next 20 minutes were a masterclass in possession for Grace. The Mighty Oaks had little time on the ball, and Grace moved the ball forwards and backwards, left and right with ease.
Grace found a third goal just before halftime. Ashley VandenBoom fired a shot that was saved; the ball fell to Kailey Burrell, who scored from a tight angle just to the left of the goal.
Grace went into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead.
The Lady Lancers outshot Oakland City 11-3 in the first half; Grace had the only nine shots on goal during the half and the only four corner kicks.
The Mighty Oaks had some of their best offensive moments during the first 10 minutes of the second half, pushing forward in an attempt to rally.
But Grace’s defense held firm. Sofia Lerro made two strong saves in the course of a minute to preserve the clean sheet. She combined with Kimberly Aalbue to record the championship shutout in goal.
Grace still had three more goals remaining. Menzel got the first in the 66th minute, tagging a shot from outside the penalty box that pierced the back of the net.
The fifth goal completed Menzel’s hat trick. Shannon Farnsworth made a perfect cross to Menzel, who drilled her shot under the crossbar for a 5-0 lead.
The final goal came in the 86th minute. Aalbue picked out Burrell in a dangerous spot on the left side of the field. Burrell took care of the rest, drilling her shot into the back of the net.
Grace finished the match with a 20-9 advantage in shots, including 14-2 in shots on goal.
Aalbue had a goal and two assists, Burrell had two goals, and Menzel scored three times. Menzel scored seven goals across the four NCCAA games, and Aalbue had four goals and three assists for the week.
Defensively, Simone Castaneda, Lucy Schmitt, Danae Moriarty, Lilli Oberhoff and Erin Crew did well to blank the Mighty Oaks.
After the tournament, Aalbue, Lea Moessinger, Oberhoff and Lea Fricke were named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team.
Saturday concludes a sensational tournament for Grace. The Lady Lancers, who were the No. 1 seed, won all four games by a combined scoreline of 17-2.
The win wraps up the sterling careers of Grace’s senior class. The group earned a spot in four straight NAIA national tournaments and collected the first two national titles in team history.
Grace ends the year with an impressive 17-5-2 record under head coach Michael Voss; it marks the second-most wins and second-best winning percentage in team history.
Lancers’ Streak Reaches 10 With Hard Fought Win
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s men’s basketball team improved their record to 10-0 with a hard fought 72-65 win over St. Francis on Saturday afternoon.
The game was tightly contested throughout, as the margin stayed within single digits the entire game. Balanced scoring lifted, as four players cracked double digits. Grace is now 10-0 for the second consecutive season.
Frankie Davidson scored four early points for Grace, but the Lancers couldn’t find any separation from the visiting Cougars as just two points separated the squads at the first media timeout.
Grace had several opportunities to distance themselves, but USF’s hot 3-point shooting in the first half (55.6 Percent) kept them within striking distance.
The Cougars were able to jump ahead by three-points late in the first, but Grace closed the half on a 12-6 run, which included a pair of spectacular plays from Jakob Gibbs to reclaim the lead 38-35 lead into halftime.
Elijah Malone had 10 points and seven rebounds to pace Grace at the half as the Lancers shot an even 50 percent from the field.
The Cougars scored the first four points in the second half as the back-and-forth battle continued.
Jake Wadding ignited a fastbreak opportunity with a block on the defensive end and Davidson ran the length court to finish with a layup that pushed the Lancers ahead by six points.
USF responded quickly however, as back-to-back 3-point baskets tied the game back up at 52 apiece.
Carter Stoltzfus got involved in a pair of scoring plays that seemed to finally put the game in Grace’s control. Stoltzfus assisted on a Jakob Gibbs jumper, before knocking in one of his own that extended the lead to seven points with six minutes remaining.
The feisty Cougars tried to claw their way back, but the Lancers showed poise to hold on for the 72-65 victory.
Grace was once again efficient from the field, hitting on 54 percent of their attempts. USF’s 3-point shooting cooled off in the second half as they finished at 36 percent for the game.
Davidson led all players with 21 points, and Malone double-doubled with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Cade and Jakob Gibbs finished with 15 points and 12 points respectively.
The Lancers will now begin a four-game road trip which will begin on Tuesday as the Lancers travel to Cornerstone.
Grace Ties Program Record With Sixth Straight Win
WINONA LAKE - Grace’s women’s basketball team extended its winning streak to six straight with a 64-51 win over St. Francis on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers continued their impressive start to the season, improving to 8-1 and remaining undefeated in Crossroads League play (4-0).
Grace’s six-game winning streak ties a program record, a mark they’ve hit twice in the past (2020-21, 1998-99).
With Grace’s top two scorers quiet on offense, the Lady Lancers showcased their depth. Kaylee Patton paced Grace with 18 points, Kiersten Findley scored 16, and Peyton Murphy added 11 points.
Midway into the first quarter, Grace gained separation. The Lady Lancers rattled off six straight points, using buckets from Peyton Murphy, Kaylee Patton and Jenna Blakley to nab a 12-6 lead.
Grace took a 14-9 lead as the first quarter concluded. The Lady Lancers held USF to 27 percent shooting. Grace struggled from deep in the opening period, missing all seven of its 3-point tries.
The Lady Lancers struggled to get their offense going in the second quarter, needing over six minutes to score. But Grace’s defense also kept USF in check. The Cougars only scored two points over the first 5:30 of the quarter.
The Cougars eventually scored the first six points of the frame to open up a small lead.
Grace finally hit its first 3-pointer — after missing its first 10 tries — to break Grace’s scoring drought. Patton banked in a wing triple to give Grace a 17-15 lead.
Patton’s triple seemed to open up the rims as Grace made its next two 3s as well. Patton hit another one minute later from the same spot, and Kiersten Findley buried a 3-pointer in transition to hand Grace a five-point lead.
The Lady Lancers held its advantage and led 27-22 at halftime. Grace only shot 37 percent from the floor and 23 percent on 3-pointers, but the Cougars were even lower. USF shot just 30 percent as a team.
Patton’s 10 points led Grace at the break, and Findley added seven more.
Patton’s strong half carried into the second half. She scored the first five points of the half, pushing Grace’s lead to 10.
USF took advantage of foul trouble from Grace to pull closer in the middle portions of the third quarter. The Cougars trailed by just four when Murphy converted a timely and-1 to give Grace breathing room.
USF made a late layup as the third quarter concluded, but Grace still led 44-36 at the end of the period.
The Cougars had little left in the tank in the fourth quarter. Grace’s defensive intensity and fast-paced offense seemed to wear down USF over the final 10 minutes.
Grace led by at least 10 points for the entirety of the quarter, leading by as many as 19 before coasting to the final 13-point margin of victory.
Patton shot 7 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 7 on 3-pointers for her 18 points, adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Findley’s 16 points came with three assists, and Murphy amassed 11 points, 6 boards and 1 steal.
Karlee Feldman had just five points, but she contributed mightily in the post with 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Maddie Ryman was also quiet with two points, but she contributed with four assists and four boards.
Blakley scored seven points off the bench, and Molly Long also drained a 3-pointer in the closing minutes.
The Lady Lancers have one game next week, playing at Taylor on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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