WINONA LAKE – Though they got off to a slow start Wednesday evening, it didn’t take the Grace College Lancers long to shift into high gear. Hosting Crossroads League opponent Goshen College, the 24th-ranked Lancers trailed 12-3 early but used a 43-10 run that bridged the first and second halves, as they cruised to an 88-69 win over the Maple Leafs at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center. The Lancers, fresh off a win over then-No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan, made 19 of 20 free throw attempts in the second half, outscored Goshen 48-30 in the paint and got 41 points off the bench. A total of 14 players saw the court for Grace, with 11 of them scoring. Eight players scored at least seven points for the Lancers, who led 36-22 at halftime. “We got settled down, and then we got after it defensively,” Grace College coach Jim Kessler said of the slow start and ensuing dominance. “We were able to take control and do what we needed to do. “The second half, I was really proud of them. I thought they came out in the second half and put it on the line and got the lead up to 20, and then we played a lot of different people. I was proud of how we overcame that slow start and did what we needed to do.” After trailing 12-3, the Lancers closed the first half on a 33-10 run, then scored the first 10 points after the intermission. Sophomore frontliner Erik Bowen led Grace with 19 points and eight rebounds, while senior guards Logan Irwin and Brandon Vanderhegghen scored 10 points each. Junior Tre Olive and sophomore Chad Hoffer chipped in with eight points each, while sophomore Stephen Halstead and freshmen Josh Ruggles and Logan Godfrey scored seven points each. The Lancers have won seven of their last eight games, and as a result of their 19-point victory Wednesday improved to 15-4 overall and 5-2 in the Crossroads League. The fifth-ranked St. Francis Cougars, who beat the Lancers on a late three-pointer earlier this season, sit atop the league standings at 6-1. Indiana Wesleyan, which fell one spot in the latest NAIA Division II national poll after the loss to Grace, is tied with the Lancers at 5-2. Eighth-ranked Marian and No. 13 Bethel are both 4-3 in the league standings with 11 games remaining. “That game with Indiana Wesleyan was nice, but if we would’ve lost tonight, or if we lose the next couple, that big win over Wesleyan wouldn’t be as meaningful,” said Kessler, who scored his 737th career win Wednesday. “We need to keep this thing going and be consistent. We need to be consistent and persistent in how we go about playing.” The Lancers are in action again Saturday when they travel to league foe Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Goshen has lost six of its last seven games and fell to 11-8 overall and 3-4 in league play. Dominique Bolden led the Maple Leafs with 20 points Wednesday, while Devin Heath-Granger and Trevor Commissaris scored 14 and 13 points, respectively.
