KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The start to the NCCAA tournament could not have been much better for Grace College, which won both of its opening round games Monday afternoon.

GRACE WOMEN 5, WARNER 1

Grace’s women’s soccer team kicked off the NCCAA National Championships in style, routing Warner 5-1 on Monday.

Cassidy Wasson scored two goals to lead the Lady Lancers (19-4) to victory in the opening game of pool play. The Lady Lancers continue pool play on Tuesday with a 2:30 p.m. match against Central Christian.

Grace was the aggressor almost instantly after kickoff. The Lady Lancers made several dangerous runs into Warner’s penalty box throughout the opening 10 minutes.

In the eighth minute, Aubrey Feipel sliced a cross in the middle to Corinne Villalobos. But Villalobos’s shot in front of goal was saved.

Three minutes later, Allison Vroon found herself in space in front of the net. But Warner’s goalkeeper made a sharp save.

Not long after, Wasson had a 1v1 in the penalty box, but again the goalkeeper proved up to the task with a stop.

Grace’s pressure eventually broke down the Royals (11-8-2). Jenni Phillips’s cross was stopped by a Warner handball in the penalty box. Cassidy Wasson stepped up and cleanly converted her penalty kick for the first goal of the match in the 22nd minute.

The Royals managed to equalize the game against the run of play, scoring minutes later on a loose ball in the box.

Grace made a renewed push at Warner’s goal over the final 10 minutes. Sacia Hanson made a speedy run along the left side and crossed into the middle. Flavia Faria trapped the ball and struck a low shot that was stopped by a kick-save, deflecting off the crossbar.

Less than a minute later, Liz Van Wormer had a 20-yard shot that forced a diving save. Shortly after, Faria had a 1v1 opportunity — Grace’s fourth of the half — but the Lady Lancers came up empty.

Grace finally took the lead for good five minutes before halftime. Kristen Bellinger led Clair Snodgrass with a pass on the right side. Snodgrass crossed low into the box, and Van Wormer squeezed in her volley just past the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper.

Grace wasted little time adding to its lead in the second half. Phillips made a bold run between a crowd of Royals’ defenders, winning a loose ball and blasting a shot past the goalkeeper for a 3-1 lead.

Wasson netted her second of the match in the 69th minute. Van Wormer sent in a dangerous cross directly in front of the net, and Faria won the header to pop the ball in the air. Wasson connected on the header, sending her shot into the back of the net.

The fifth and final goal of the match came in the 84th minute. Phillips won possession for Grace, and the Lady Lancers quickly switched sides of the field over to the left. Wasson picked out Vroon with a leading pass, and Vroon took care of the rest. Vroon slammed her shot into the upper part of the net for the final 5-1 scoreline.

For the match Grace was credited with an 18-5 shot advantage and 8-2 edge in corner kicks. Wasson shot seven times with five on goal, and Faria, Van Wormer and Vroon each had two shots on goal.

Bethany Blackwood earned the win in goal, making two saves in 90 minutes.

GRACE MEN 4, COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL 2

Two things could not be stopped during Grace’s NCCAA Pool Play match against Columbia International on Monday.

One was the seemingly unending downpour of rain. The second was Cody Boerema.

Boerema had a part in all three of Grace’s second-half goals, leading the Lancers to a 4-2 victory over Columbia International.

The Lancers (14-3-4) sit atop Pool B at NCCAA Nationals after Monday night’s win with one match remaining. Grace can clinch the pool — and a spot in the national semifinals — with a win on Wednesday against Ottawa (Arizona) at 5 p.m.

The winner of each of the three pools along with the top overall runner-up, will play in the NCCAA semifinals on Friday evening.

Grace stunned the Rams (11-9) with an early goal on Monday. The Lancers won possession deep in CIU’s end of the field, and Grace advanced quickly.

Marcelo Talamas trapped a ball at the top of the penalty box, pivoted toward goal and unleashed a hard blast inside the far post just 3:56 into the match.

Grace, who had 11 shots and six shots on goal in the first half, held the better of possession and chances throughout the opening half. But the Lancers were held to one goal before halftime.

With 10 minutes left in the first half, lightning struck in the vicinity which forced a mandatory stoppage of play. The delay lasted close to an hour.

The lengthy delay seemed to give the Rams life. CIU scored on the first corner kick after the restart in the 36th minute to level the score.

The teams entered halftime tied 1-1 despite Grace’s 11-6 edge in shot attempts.

The Lancers continued their pressure on CIU’s backline, and the attack eventually crumbled the Rams’ defense.

Damon Binkley tried a curled shot from the left side of the field that whizzed past the far goalpost.

Minutes later, Grace had another lengthy buildup. Joshua Coupar crossed to the center of the penalty box to an unmarked Cody Boerema, but Boerema’s one-time volley went wide.

Boerema proved to be too dangerous for the Rams in the second half. He scored the go-ahead goal not long after his missed shot.

Colin Cape sent in a long pass from midfield toward Boerema, who found space near the right corner. He cleverly maneuvered to reach the penalty box and was promptly fouled on his approach to goal.

Boerema stepped up and converted the ensuing penalty kick for Grace’s second goal.

Just a short while later, he made a similar move in the center of the field and was again taken down. This time Ulisses Miranda took the 20-yard free kick and blasted his shot above the goalkeeper in a perfect position for a 3-1 lead.

The floodgates seemed to open up figuratively for Grace as the rain continued its downpour. Boerema received the ball at the right edge of the box with just one defender in his way. Boerema made a deceptive stepover, crossing up his defender and then slicing in his shot to the far post in the 79th minute.

Grace had three more chances to add to its lead, keeping pressure on the Rams. Miranda nearly scored twice, including once with the final kick of the match, and Joshua Coupar also had a close-range shot blocked.

The Rams cut into Grace’s cushion with a goal in the 84th minute, scoring off a rebound. But the damage was already done in the Lancers’ 4-2 win.

Kurt Hamlin made six saves in 90 minutes to record the win. Boerema had six shots and three shots on goal, Miranda shot five times, and Togo Narusawa had two shots on goal.