ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist Men's Soccer remains perfect on the season after holding onto a well-earned victory over the defending NAIA National Champion and current No. 21 Grand View Vikings.
The first 74 minutes of tonight's contest were, for the most part, dominated by the Spartans. A team hungry for the opportunity to prove themselves, Missouri Baptist again came into the match playing smart, fast, and confident. The team held possession on the Vikings' side of the field plenty early on, working to find an opening.
The first substitute of the match, Eroy Gonsalves, would be the change MBU needed to break the game open. In the 27th minute, Gonsalves and freshman forward Iker Alvarez had a chance to push the ball downfield. Working around the Grand View defense, Alvarez and Gonsalves demonstrated chemistry well beyond their short time as teammates, sending pass after beautiful pass to each other, resulting eventually in a Gonsalves score.
Grand View flipped the script in the final minutes of the first period, totaling six shots and two corner kicks after the Spartan goal. Keeper Sean Stone continued his excellent season in goal, fending off two of those shots. Entering the break, Missouri Baptist would have the lead, 1-0.
The second period would begin with much of the same, as Noham Hamidi, Adel Smajlovic, and the rest of the Spartan attack continued to be relentless on the reigning champions. Another breakthrough would come in the 73rd minute on a goal by Dejan Lakic, his second of the season.
The Vikings did not go quietly, however, as from this point on, the game shifted into their hands. Grand View forward Lucas Newhard demonstrated this fact, scoring the team's first goal in the 79th minute on Spartan keeper Evan Baisch, who replaced a fatigued Stone, to cut the lead to one.
Baisch's abilities would be tested again by Vikings, who drew a penalty kick with under four minutes to play. Herman Furumo was tasked with the shot and a chance to tie the match, while Baisch held the difficult responsibility of holding the lead. The leftie Furumo went in his ideal direction, sending the ball low and to the right, meanwhile Baisch chose to dive left. As every person in attendance watched closely, Furumo's kick went just right of the goal post, eliminating Grand View's chance of evening the contest.
MBU would hang on after that scare, earning Head Coach Roosevelt Peters his first ranked and conference win, and adding a statement to an already impressive resume for the squad.
"I'm ecstatic, completely ecstatic," said Peters. "I'm grateful to God. I feel like He was behind it today, and the guys worked so hard. They deserve it, honestly, they deserve it. They listen, follow instructions, they deserve it one hundred percent."
Lakic's performance as a member of the dangerous Spartan attack earned him an important Man of the Match honor, a title he does not take for granted.
"I feel just amazing," Lakic said. "That was my second goal here, and the win feels amazing."
Now at 3-0-3, Missouri Baptist Men's Soccer will look to continue their strong play in another difficult battle against the No. 9 William Penn Statesmen on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m.
