Graceland University women's soccer completed an impressive comeback, defeating Park University 3-2 in a thrilling NAIA conference match on Saturday, September 28, in Parkville, Mo.

The Yellowjackets showcased resilience and determination by overturning a 2-0 halftime deficit to secure the road victory. The win improved Graceland's record to 4-5-2 overall and 1-3-0 in conference play.

The first half proved challenging for Graceland as Park University took an early lead. Park's Megan Everhart opened the scoring at the 23:28 mark with an unassisted goal. Park extended its lead in the 37th minute when Lilli Porsch scored off an assist from Cecilie Pedersen, making it 2-0 at halftime.

Despite the deficit, Graceland's offense was active, tallying eight shots in the first half, but they couldn't find a way past Park goalkeeper Frankie Williams.

The Yellowjackets regrouped at halftime and came out with renewed energy in the second half. Their persistence paid off in the 71st minute when Chloe Montera scored unassisted to cut the deficit to 2-1, sparking the comeback.

Graceland maintained pressure, and just eight minutes later, Wissal Rafik found the equalizer at the 79:02 mark, assisted by Montera. With the score tied at 2-2, Graceland continued to control the tempo.

The decisive moment came in the 87th minute when Montera scored her second goal of the match off an assist from Cassidy Andrews, sealing the 3-2 victory for Graceland.

Graceland outshot Park 19-23, with 11 shots coming in the second half. Maggie Peterson was instrumental in goal for the Yellowjackets, recording seven saves, all in the second half. The Yellowjackets earned seven corner kicks compared to Park's two, maintaining offensive pressure throughout the game. The match was physical, with Graceland committing 15 fouls to Park's 10.

"Very proud of the team today," said head coach Randall Porter. "Down 2-0 at half, we had a good halftime chat, and the ladies responded very well in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals. It's not easy to win games in this conference, even more so road games. So I'm very happy with this win, and it's certainly something we look forward to building off of."

Montera was the standout player for Graceland with two goals and one assist, playing a crucial role in the comeback. Wissal Rafik added a goal in the 79th minute, while Andrews contributed an assist, demonstrating the team's depth and versatility.

The Graceland Yellowjackets will look to build on this momentum in their next match on October 2 in Lamoni, Iowa. They will face the Mount Mercy Mustangs under the lights at the John Rasmussen Soccer Complex, with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m.

For more information on Graceland University women's soccer and to keep up with the latest results, visit gujackets.com.