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The Graceland men's soccer team has had an up-and-down injured filled season to date.  Saturday night in Lamoni hosting conference opponent Central Methodist University, the Jackets were looking to improve on their 1-2 conference standing.  In a physical, seesaw battle, GU outlasted the Eagles 4-3 in an overtime thriller.

Following an early Aaron Cairns (Glasgow, Scotland) goal in the third minute of the contest the Jackets got off to a fast start leading 1-0.  Central Methodist would counter the Jacket goal with two of their own in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into the locker room at halftime.  In the second half, senior Orin Branker (Point Fortin, Trinidad & Tobago) scored on the rebound of a Brady Blankenship (Glenwood, IA) free-kick to knot the game up at 2-2.  The Eagles would regain the lead however in the 83rd minute on a goal but GU struck right back just over two minutes later on a Blankenship goal.  The game would remain that way into overtime until the tie was broken on an unlikely Central Methodist own goal that sent GU home with the win.  

"Good teams find a way to win," stated Coach Sanchez after the big win.  "First however, I went to tip my hat to Central Methodist for a great performance.  This conference has proven night-in and night-out who ever plays the hardest will prevail and that's what we did tonight," finished an elated Sanchez.

The Jackets now stand at 4-7-1 overall and 2-2 in the all important HAAC standings.  They'll next face Avila University next Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri at 8:00 pm.  Stay tuned to the Jacket athletics website for continuing coverage of the Graceland men's soccer team and all of Jacket athletics.
Orrin Branker