Graceland Men’s Soccer Tops Benedictine, Hands Ravens First Loss of the Season

ATCHISON, Kan. – The Graceland University men's soccer team secured a 4-2 victory over Benedictine College on Saturday afternoon, using efficient finishing and timely defending to hand the Ravens their first loss of the 2025 season in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.

With the result, Graceland improves to 2-3-1 overall and 1-1-0 in the Heart, while Benedictine falls to 5-1-1 overall and 2-1-0 in conference action. The win marked a statement for the Yellowjackets, who not only earned their first conference victory of the year but also knocked Benedictine from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Kaden Edwards and Mario Salinas each scored twice, leading a Yellowjacket attack that finished with 14 total shots and eight on frame. Graceland's defense contained Benedictine's forwards, limiting the Ravens to just four shots on target.

The Yellowjackets struck first in the 13th minute when Salinas converted off a pass from Alex Iossa. Just three minutes later, Edwards added to the lead with an unassisted finish from the top of the penalty area. Benedictine pulled one back in the 38th minute as Eliah Froeyland scored off an assist from Manuel Abello, but Graceland quickly regained control after halftime.

In the 48th minute, Edwards scored his second goal of the day, finishing off a service from David Hopfer to extend the lead to 3-1. The Yellowjackets added an insurance goal in the 70th minute when Salinas struck again, assisted by Juan Gelves. Froeyland scored once more in the 81st minute, but the Ravens' late push was not enough.

"Proud of our team and the way they showed up today for each other," said head coach Bryan Courtney. "Tonight was definitely a fun match to be a part of and will go down as a defining moment in the transformation of our program as we move toward our goal of being among the elite clubs in the conference."

Goalkeeper Yuta Hirano earned the win for Graceland, finishing with one save and directing a back line that absorbed Benedictine's pressure in the final 10 minutes. Defenders Adam Wiman, Guillermo Tejada and Hopfer played key roles in disrupting Raven attacks and clearing set pieces.

Statistically, Graceland committed just six fouls compared to 18 by Benedictine, and the Yellowjackets capitalized on limited chances, scoring four goals on eight shots on target. The Ravens held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks but were unable to convert those opportunities.

The victory marked a breakthrough for the Yellowjackets, who showed resilience and efficiency against a Benedictine team that entered the match unbeaten. Graceland's balanced performance highlighted both attacking depth and defensive composure.

Up next, Graceland will return home for its next fixture. Full details on opponent, date, and kickoff time will be released as available.

For more information on Graceland men's soccer and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.