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GRACELAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Graceland Men’s Soccer Records Road Shutout Victory Over William Woods

Graceland Men’s Soccer Records Road Shutout Victory Over William Woods

Box Score
Scoring Summary
2nd - 47:36 - Guillermo Tejada (Graceland)
2nd - 58:59 - Juan Gelves (Graceland)
Game Leaders
Graceland
G: 2 Players (#7, #16) - 1
A: 2 Players (#7, #25) - 1
Sh: Guillermo Tejada - 2
Sv: Yuta Hirano - 6
William Woods (MO)
G: N/A
A: N/A
Sh: Francesco Dibra - 5
Sv: Matthew Dworak - 1
Team Stats
Full stats

FULTON, Mo. – The Graceland University men's soccer team earned a strong 2-0 road victory over William Woods University on Saturday afternoon at the NCAC Soccer Complex in Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) play.

With the result, Graceland improved to 4-3-1 overall and 2-1 in Heart competition, while William Woods fell to 2-5-2 overall and 0-3-2 in the conference. The win marked the Yellowjackets' second league victory of the season and their third shutout performance of the year.

First Half
The opening 45 minutes featured defensive composure from both teams. William Woods pressed high in the early going, forcing goalkeeper Yuta Hirano into three saves in the opening 16 minutes. The Owls nearly broke through in the 1st minute when Francesco Dibra forced a stop and in the 15th minute when Hirano denied another chance.

Graceland responded with chances of its own, including a header from David Hopfer in the 37th minute that went just high. Despite William Woods producing a 5-3 advantage in total shots during the half, the score remained deadlocked 0-0 at intermission.

Second Half
Graceland capitalized shortly after halftime with the breakthrough goal. In the 48th minute, Guillermo Tejada scored off an assist from Juan Gelves, finishing after a corner kick sequence to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 advantage.

The lead doubled in the 59th minute when Gelves found the back of the net off a feed from Ashton Adrian, converting a counterattack to make it 2-0. From there, Graceland controlled the pace and absorbed William Woods' pressure.

Defensive Stand and Goalkeeping
Hirano delivered a standout performance in goal, recording seven saves across 90 minutes to secure the clean sheet. His presence was critical in the first half, when William Woods controlled possession and generated repeated scoring chances.

Graceland's defensive unit—anchored by Hopfer, Adam Wiman, and Andrew Porter—limited William Woods to low-percentage looks after the break. The Yellowjackets surrendered 14 total shots, but only six were on frame.

Statistical Summary

  • Goals: Graceland 2, William Woods 0

  • Shots: William Woods 14, Graceland 6

  • Shots on Goal: William Woods 7, Graceland 3

  • Corner Kicks: William Woods 6, Graceland 1

  • Saves: Graceland 7, William Woods 1

  • Fouls: Graceland 7, William Woods 8

  • Cards: William Woods (5 yellow cards, 1 red card)

Individual Leaders for Graceland:

Coach's Perspective
Head coach Bryan Courtney credited his team's composure and work rate. **"This was another win caused by hard work. William Woods did a good job of breaking our pressure early in the game, which caused extra running for us and gave them a good early chance. But Yuta made a big save and we were able to settle down after that. We looked tired towards the end of the half, but this is a group that is committed to doing the work we ask them to do. So giving everything they have on the field is nothing new.

In the second half we were able to capitalize on some mistakes created from our pressure, which was the difference in the game. Then we were able to rotate players to stay fresh on a hot day. It is a luxury to have a bench full of guys that we can trust to also get the job done. I am really proud of the shutout. Yuta was our man of the match for his work in goal. But this was a complete team win for us."**

Conference Implications
The result lifted Graceland to 2-1 in Heart play, positioning the Yellowjackets in the top half of the early standings. William Woods fell to 0-3-2 in league action and remains winless in conference competition.

Graceland's ability to earn a shutout on the road, despite being outshot 14-6 and conceding six corner kicks, demonstrated the team's resilience and tactical execution.

Match Flow Recap

  • 47:36 – Goal: Tejada (Graceland), assisted by Gelves. Graceland leads 1-0.

  • 58:59 – Goal: Gelves (Graceland), assisted by Adrian. Graceland leads 2-0.

  • Final Score: Graceland 2, William Woods 0.

Team Records

  • Graceland: 4-3-1 overall, 2-1 Heart

  • William Woods: 2-5-2 overall, 0-3-2 Heart

Next Match
Graceland returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 24, traveling to face nationally ranked No. 8 William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT at Drost Field.

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