SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grace College women’s soccer team has passed every test so far during its challenging nonleague schedule, including Thursday night’s 3-2 win at John Brown.

The NAIA 15th-ranked Lady Lancers improved to 6-0 on the season, taking down the Eagles who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The Lady Lancers will finish up the John Brown Tournament on Saturday with a marquee matchup. Grace will face Oklahoma City on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the NAIA Network Game of the Week. The Stars are also receiving votes in the national poll.

Grace had to recover from two first-half deficits to equalize with the Eagles. John Brown scored the opening goal in the fourth minute off a corner kick, but Grace was quick to respond. Aubrey Feipel played a ball into Meghan Wiles on the right side, and Wiles finished at the 7:30 mark to tie the game at 1-1.

The Eagles (1-3) went back on top with a goal at the 16:00 mark, but Wiles was there for the equalizer again. The senior midfielder received a pass from Kaitlyn Hayes at the top of the penalty box in the 23rd minute, and she blasted her 20-yard shot into the right corner, tying the game at 2-2 with her second goal.

The teams entered the halftime break knotted at 2-2 after the first-half offensive barrage. Grace held a slight 8-5 advantage in shots in the opening period.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Grace had its first lead of the match. Mallory Rondeau burned by a defender and drilled her shot past John Brown’s goalkeeper in the 50th minute for the eventual game winner.

Grace asserted itself in possession in the second half and began to work its offense. The Lady Lancers took seven of the nine shots after halftime and thought it had scored another goal. Grace finished off a loose ball in the penalty box, but the official waved off a potential fourth goal for Grace with a foul.

For the game, Grace doubled up John Brown in shot attempts at 15-7. Wiles and Feipel led all players with three shots apiece, and all three of Wiles’s shots were on frame.

Abby Schue earned her sixth win in goal for the Lady Lancers although her shutout streak was stopped. Grace had played 453:46 of soccer this season before surrendering its first goal against John Brown on Thursday.

“We have already gained and demonstrated maturity in numerous ways through this trip so far, including adversity in today’s match. Even our bus driver has an injury. We did not start the way we planned, but the women were quick to equalize after conceding, hit great goals and never wavered with the disallowed goal,” said Grace head coach Michael Voss. “I’m proud of the women for quickly finding some success with our style, turning on the ‘possession attacking futbol’ in the second half and finalizing the match well. JBU has a quality squad who works hard and will see success this season.”