Grace goalkeeper Bethany Blackwood dives to save the last shot of the penalty shootout to send the Lancers to a 4-3 PK win over Spring Arbor Saturday in the Crossroads League quarterfinals. (Photos by Mike Deak)

WINONA LAKE – Sitting on an island by her lonesome, the fate of her soccer teammates rested on her instincts. It was perhaps divine, or possibly ironic just the same, that Bethany Blackwood had “Audience of one” written on her quads.

Blackwood, the All-American keeper for Grace’s women’s soccer team, made the biggest save of the season in the biggest moment, snuffing the final penalty take in a 4-3 shootout win over Spring Arbor to advance the Lady Lancers to the semi-finals of the Crossroads League tournament Saturday Afternoon at Miller Park.

Grace’s Taylor Fort sprints with Spring Arbor’s Maddy Wierda in pursuit of the loose ball.

Blackwood made two physical saves and saw another Spring Arbor shot sail over the bar during the settlement of what was a 0-0 draw through 110 minutes of game play. Blackwood made the correct read in blocking Lexi Ponstein’s try in the second round of the shootout, keeping Grace level after Anna Kuhl sailed her chance over the bar the shot before.

After counterpart Sam Tracey stopped Taylor Fort’s shot to keep the shootout tied at two, the Cougars pulled ahead on a Morgan Marshall make. Liz Van Wormer leveled the score at three, but Becca Mindling’s prospective winner sailed over the crossbar. Joana Schimmel’s chance beat Tracey opposite corner, setting up Blackwood’s correct read on Emily Mindling right corner ambition.

“I just guessed and watched the ball off (Mindling’s) foot and got there. Ended perfectly,” said Blackwood. “I saw her body language going the other way, said a quick prayer, went with my gut and got there in time.”

The match, despite no goals in the run of play, had its moments. Grace had three premium looks to get on the board, its best chance on a penalty in the second half. Just eight minutes into the back end, an errant Cougar slide tackle in the box drew a penalty, which JJ Aalbue was called to stand over. In a foreshadowing of what was to come, Tracey dove right and blocked the attempt to keep the sheet clean.

Grace’s Sacia Hanson advances past Spring Arbor’s Becca Mindling.

Van Wormer had a pair of near misses of her own. A lofting ball into the box in the first half sailed on Tracey, who had to backtrack to catch the ball straddling the goal line and was ruled still in play. Van Wormer had a less intrusive ball that nearly ended the match in regulation, bouncing once and skipping off the post without much worry from the Spring Arbor defense from the outset of the buildup.

The two sides combined for 29 shots in the match, but just eight were on target. Blackwood made five saves to three for Tracey, but it was a save in the final six seconds of the first half by Blackwood on Kaley Buck which heightened the urgency. The Cougars also saw Madison Marshall miss a wide open rip in the first overtime and another had a corner that bounced through the Grace defense without a touch.

“We’ve had each other’s backs the entire time and didn’t look at mistakes as a negative,” Blackwood said. “God pulled us through this one and will take us to the next one.”

All to say, Grace is happy to move onto the semi-finals and a trip to Marian next Saturday.

“What a great learning experience today was,” stated Grace College head coach Michael Voss. “We didn’t play very smart at times, and other times we looked very good. In a match with no goals, sometimes that happens. We had numerous golden opportunities to score goals. Not only did we not score, but then we get countered and gave up some great opportunities.

“I’m happy with us finding a way and grinding out this one,” added Voss. “They battled. Spring Arbor is going to be in the national tournament. We have to realize that this is what it’s going to feel like from here on out.”

Spring Arbor goalkeeper Sam Tracey dives on a ball ahead of a sliding Cassidy Wasson of Grace College.