PULASKI, Tenn. – Grace College’s 11th-ranked women’s soccer team and No. 8 Martin Methodist were even after nearly 78 minutes of action. But the hosts RedHawks produced two goals late in regulation to win the game 2-0 on Thursday. MMC scored its goals just five minutes apart in the second half as Grace pushed forward, looking for a potential winner of its own. The Lady Lancers dropped to 0-2 on the young season, both losses to teams ranked in the top 10 of the NAIA. The RedHawks (4-0) owned the first half, outshooting Grace 12-2. The Lady Lancers struggled to connect their possession attack and had few chances to score before halftime. The two shots Grace had were both close. Kristen Bellinger lined up a free kick from nearly 30 yards, and her shot forced a one-handed save just below the crossbar. The second shot also came from a set piece, this time on a corner kick. Shelby Fort tried a one-time volley with her left foot off a corner, but her shot inside the penalty box whisked high. The second half started much stronger for Grace. The Lady Lancers doubled their shot total after just five minutes, thanks to efforts from Meredith Hollar and Sabina Meyers. Grace seemed to gain confidence as the match progressed, but the Lady Lancers were unable to apply consistent pressure on the RedHawks’ net. Grace goalkeeper Abby Schue had a busy night, making nine saves, including a few key one-on-one stops in the second half to keep the match scoreless at the time. The RedHawks finally broke through Grace’s defense in the 78th minute. Grace increased its attack in pursuit of a game-tying goal, but the RedHawks capitalized off a counterattack to make the score 2-0 just five minutes later. Grace nearly scored in the final minute as Hollar broke free behind MMC’s backline, but her effort blasted above the crossbar. Bellinger and Hollar had two shots apiece, and Meyers, Fort and McKenna Cruz each shot once. The Lady Lancers will look to get into the win column on Saturday with a match at Bethel (Tenn.).
