Graceland Men's Soccer Suffers First Loss in 2-0 Defeat to Central Methodist

Fayette, Mo. – Graceland University men's soccer suffered a hard-fought 2-0 defeat to Central Methodist University in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) action Monday evening at Davis Field. The Yellowjackets, now 5-1-3 overall and 1-1-1 in conference play, struggled to break down a disciplined Central Methodist defense, resulting in their first loss of the season.

Despite generating 12 shots and constant pressure, Graceland was unable to find the back of the net. Central Methodist capitalized on two quick first-half counterattacks to seal the victory.

The Eagles struck first in the 36th minute when midfielder Matheus Storck scored off an assist from Ilhan Dervisevic. Just five minutes later, Leonardo Chiulli doubled the lead, slotting a shot past Graceland goalkeeper Dither Beltran after a pass from Martin O'Toole. Beltran recorded four saves on six shots but was unable to stop the decisive early goals.

Graceland's offense, led by Andrew Porter and Lucas Porter, who combined for five shots, pressed forward in search of a goal throughout the match. However, Central Methodist's defense, anchored by goalkeeper Niccolo Cabras, stood firm. Cabras made four crucial saves, including one pivotal stop that prevented Graceland from cutting the deficit in half and shifting momentum in the second half.

Head coach Bryan Courtney acknowledged the impact of the first-half mistakes, saying, "Two costly giveaways led to two quick counterattacks that cost us the game. CMU has very good players that punished our mistakes." He added, "We had some chances but were not able to finish those opportunities. Their keeper made a huge save to prevent us from cutting the lead in half and gaining momentum. Credit to him for coming up big for his team."

Graceland increased their urgency in the second half, registering six shots and four corner kicks, but were unable to break through. "Our second half was much better as we played with more confidence and urgency," Courtney said. "We will be fine. This was a loss to a very good team. We'll regroup and learn through some film study as we prepare for Park next weekend."

The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back on the road this Saturday, September 28, as they face Park University in Parkville, Mo., with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. at Julian Field. Graceland aims to regain momentum as they continue their strong start to the season and push to improve their standing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC).