All the members of the Grace Men’s Soccer Team would like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and hope that it is a day filled with family and friends.

Family Is Forever

      As the Tiger’s 2012 season has closed we take a look at the season’s top performers and memorable moments as well as going forward into the 2013 season.  The Tiger’s overall record was 9-9-2.  Early in the season adjustments were made with out the keeper service from the past in Carl Getty.  Splitting time in net were Kodie Palmer, Jon Proskey, and Aaron Jones.   Aaron Jones finished with most games in net with 9, posting the teams best goals against average of 2.24.  Kodie Palmer had 7 appearances in net, followed by Jon Proskey with 5.  As these three stepped up to help the squad seeing their first college action in net there were other first this year as John Caprari played his first season as a Tiger joining the squad this year.  Creating one of the memorable moments of the season was Senior Marc Mullinex scoring his first  goal for Grace.  Also having memorable moments were Aaron Jone’s performance in net against Purdue Calumet as well as the incredible goals from Chris Thompson and Alex Stoddard.  Freshman Nathan Colby played in every game game this season netting 6 goals and adding 4 assist becoming the top freshman performer ending 5th on the team in points with 16.  Ahead of him were Ryan Snyder (18pts), Chris Thompson (20pts), Josh Armstrong (23pts) and Colt Nieuwenhuis (23).  The Golden Boot winner (Most Goals) was Chris Thompson with 9.  Second in goals was Colt Nieuwenhuis with 8.  Top assist leader was Josh Armstrong with 9 and second was Colt Nieuwenhuis with 7.  Goal of the Year is up between Alex Stoddard’s bicycle kick and Chris Thompson’s free kick beauty.  The winner will be declared at the banquet (TBD) as well as the MVP, YNWA Award, Best Defender, Best Attacker, and Most Improved Player.  Coach Dustin Buchanan commented on the past season saying “The 2012 season was a good season for us.  I have a fantastic group of guys that I cannot say enough good things about.  We have worked hard this season and I know the guys have the fire and determination to build on the things we have done and really improve for 2013.  These guys really did things with focus and purpose and we had quality senior leadership in this squad.  With seniors Andrew Clark, Nathan Porter, and Marc Mullinex graduating (Josh Armstrong and Ryan Snyder additional year pending)will be missed. But we are family here and where and whatever they go on to do they will continue to be a big part of this family because family is forever and now they will just have different roles as a part of it.   The additions we have for the 2013 will give us a boost and the experienced players we have will have to step up and I am confident they will.”

The Tiger’s 2012 season officially came to an end Friday as they lost to Moody Bible Institute in the Mid-West Regional Semi-Final.   With tough task going up against the top ranked NCCAA side, the Tigers fell behind early.  The Tigers showed fantastic character and fight as they made what minutes they had left.  “The hole we were in was nearly impossible to get out of, but we did not want the second half to be a wast of the hard work and effort this squad has put in and I am proud of the way the guys responded.   These guys do not hang their heads even in difficult situations and that is important going forward”, said Coach Buchanan.

They Tigers got the victory today against Kuyper College in the first round of the NCCAA Mid-West Regional Tournament.  Grace opened the scoring when Asumani Iyakaremye (Grand Rapids, Mi) found Chris Thompson (Hudsonville, Mi) waiting to shoot inside the eighteen and did just that beating the keeper.   Colt Nieuwenhuis (Martin, Mi) would put the Tigers up by two as he beat his defender and then the keeper with a clever finish.  Things were looking good for the Tigers until 1.8 seconds before half, when they fouled a Kuyper player in the box giving a penalty which was made.  “We needed to be checked in the full forty five minutes, and we laps the last thirty seconds of the half and committed a foul.  Starting the second half by putting pressure on them is something we needed to do”, said Coach Buchanan.  The Tigers did exactly that.  Chris Thompson looked to have had an almost certain goal, but pushed it wide directly from a sent in ball ten seconds into the second half.   Thompson would make good on the next one as he was fouled in the box some seconds later and buried his penalty just fifty seconds into the second half.  Kuyper made it interesting scoring with only six minutes left into the contest from a ball that bounced around in the box and was eventually put in.  Grace held the lead and now moves on to face the top team in the NCCAA Moody Bible Institute on Friday which will be played in Watertown Wisconsin at Maranatha Baptist Bible College at 12:30 pm.

Grace will play the first round of the Mid-West Regional Tournament at home on Velting Field this Monday, October 22nd at 3:00 pm.  The Tigers will play the fifth seed Kuyper College.

Grace lost by the score of 0-1 today against Finlandia Univeristy.  The Tigers who dominated most of the game, having more shots, corners and possession, were unable to put one past the oppositions keeper.  Grace hit the post twice among other quality opportuniies.  The game was 0-0 until twenty six seconds left in the game when a Finlandia player found himself behind the Grace defense and put it past keeper Kodie Palmer (Jackson, Mi).  “This is a tough one because we were the better side today.  Sometimes in soccer this happens, which is why we need to put away our opportunities when we have them or they will come back to haunt you.  We will have to do a much better job of finishing come Monday to prevent this type of situation”, said Coach Buchanan.

Grace was looking to get back into the win column after dropping their last two matches and did just that.  Great Lakes Christian College made the trip from Lansing, Mi to Velting Field to take on the Tigers.  It would be a physical contest with an abundance of fouls.  The chances for Grace came early, when Marc Mullinex (Spokane, Wa) nearly got onto a ball in front of net. Grace would break the dead lock twenty minutes in when Ryan Snyder (Wyoming, Mi) played a clever ball beating the GLCC defenders to Colt Nieuwenhuis (Martin, Mi) finished strong.  The Tigers would take the one goal lead into half but not before they were sent down to ten men when Ryan Snyder looked to have been fowled going for a ball and was sent into the fence, no call was given and he was sent off do to his reaction.  “There were some interesting happenings in this match.  The important thing is that we worked together and pushed on when we faced adversity”, said Coach Buchanan.  That decision fueled the Tigers as they came out in the second half, scoring in the nineteenth minute as Cameron Befus (San Antonia de Belen, Costa Rica), turned on a ball in the box and slammed it home.  Cameron would provide the third and final goal as he played a terrific pass to Nathan Colby (Jenison, Mi) who took a fantastic first touch, cut in and left the keeper no chance.  Grace keeper Aaron Jones (Danville, Va) earned his first career clean sheet with a hard fought defensive effort from all of the backs starting in the center from Andrew Clark (Traverse City, Mi) and Daniel Pierpont (Detroit, Mi).  This solidifies Grace in fourth place in the Mid West Region and now will host the first game of the Mid West Regional at home against Kuyper College on Monday, October 22nd at 3:00 PM.

Grace lost their second straight, first against the top ranked team in the country, and again today against the second ranked team in Northland International University.  “This is the Mid-West region.  It is always going to be tough.  I would have liked us to have kept the score closer, but it I was happy with our physical play and these two games can help us as a team going forward”, said Coach Buchanan.  The Tiger’s lost 0-7, giving up penalty kicks twice in the match.  Chris Thompson and Josh Armstrong both played well.  Armstrong filled in as center back while Andrew Clark was out.  The Tigers will be looking to get at it when they welcome Great Lakes Christian College this Wednesday the 17th at 4:00 pm.

The Tigers made the trip to Chicago, Illinois to take on the NCCAA top ranked team in Moody Bible Institute.  The Tigers knew it would be a tall order, but seemed ready to test themselves.  “We wanted to make it difficult for them.  Work hard together for the full ninety minutes and come away with a good result whether we won, lost, or drew.  We did some good things at times against them, but they are quality and the slightest of mistakes cost us.  You can’t have a mental lapse when you play the top team.  Giving up seven goals is very disappointing from our perspective though,” commented Coach Buchanan.  The Tigers lost the match getting shut out by the score of 7-0 which marks the worst lost for the Tigers this season.  Grace will have an opportunity to play the second ranked team in Northland International University this Monday to see if they can provide a better total team performance at home.

Grace won today by the score of 3-1 against Kentucky Christian University.  The Tigers

Asu  Looks To Score

took the lead in the first minute of the game when a KCU player handled the ball in the box giving Grace a penalty kick.  Josh Armstrong(Muskegon, Mi) made good on the PK and game the Homecoming crowd something to cheer about early on.  The Tigers would make it 2-0 When Asumani Iyakaremye(Grand Rapids, Mi) found Ryan Snyder (Wyoming, Mi) open in the box and scored.  Tigers nearly scored twice more, when Chris Thompson (Hudsonville, Mi) and Andrew Clark (Traverse City, Mi) both put shots past the KCU keeper but were kept out by the wood work.  Grace would take the lead into half after controlling much of the game.  The second half began and Grace came out a bit slower than the first.  Evan though the Tigers would take the upper hand in shots 29 to 7, and corners 7 to 2, the KCU Knights would get a goal back.  Grace responded well, when Colt Nieuwenhuis (Martin, Mi) would create an exceptional chance by cleverly beating his defender and then setting up Cam Befus (San Antonia de Belen, Costa Rica) to smash it home.  “I was very happy with the first half today.  The second was a bit disappointing.  We played well, working together possessing the ball in the first half.  The second we were slower in almost everything we did, and tried to play as individuals instead of a team as we did in the first half.  Jordan Finn (Muskegon, Mi) did a solid job trying to get our quality play back in the second half.  We will have to play a much better game tomorrow in Chicago against Moody.  It will be a challenge that I know we are excited for”, said Coach Buchanan.  The Tigers travel to NCCAA #1 Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois for a Saturday game time of 2:00.

Andrew Clark