WINONA LAKE – Grace’s men’s and women’s soccer teams swept all four weekly awards from the Crossroads League. The Lancers’ four awards mark the first time in two years that one school has won the four soccer honors.
Freshmen Steven Fiema for the men’s team and Carianne Sobey for the women’s team were named the CL’s Offensive Players of the Week, and senior goalkeepers Collin Cone and Abigail Burns received the CL’s Defensive Player of the Week awards.
Fiema played a crucial role in two vital late-season wins for the Lancers. He tallied at least a goal and an assist in both of Grace’s wins, including a goal and two assists against Saint Francis.
Grace’s match on Saturday with Mount Vernon Nazarene appeared to be headed to extra time with the score tied 2-2, but with 70 seconds to play, Fiema earned the assist to teammate Austin Altimus for the game-winning goal.
Cone made 11 saves in a busy week of action for the Lancers. He posted five saves in a shutout over Saint Francis for his seventh shutout of the 2012 campaign. He also added six saves against Mount Vernon to help the Lancers jump the Cougars for third place in the final Crossroads League match of the year. Cone’s weekly award is his second of the season from the CL.
Sobey continued her excellent form as of late for the Lady Lancers with two goals and an assist in Grace’s week. Against Mount Vernon Nazarene, Sobey’s goal with 6:42 remaining in regulation capped off a furious comeback from two goals down to preserve a draw for the Lady Lancers.
She went on to add a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win against Marian. For the year, Sobey has tallied 12 assists, which ranks No. 4 in the NAIA. With a handful of games remaining, Sobey already holds Grace’s single-season record for assists.
Burns made seven saves in Grace’s 1-0-1 week. She notched four saves in incredibly stormy conditions to preserve a draw against Mount Vernon Nazarene before recording a shutout versus Marian on Saturday.
The Crossroads League Tournament kicks off on Saturday. The men’s team has already clinched a first-round home game on Saturday, and the women’s team will hope to lock up a top-four seed with a win in their season finale against Goshen on Tuesday.
