WATERTOWN, Wis. -- When the dust settled in a pivotal NCCAA Midwest Region contest, the Sabercats and the Great Lakes Crusaders had emerged in a 4-4 tie in what will go down as an all-time classic in Midwest Region play.

The winner of the game would have secured either a #1- or a #2-seed berth in the NCCAA Midwest Region Tournament, but instead, a rematch is in store for Maranatha and Great Lakes, who finish #5 and #4, respectively, in the regular season standings (below). Grant Kircher, Grant Brock, Robbie Lemon, and Mike Davis provided four unforgettable goals in the contest as the Sabercats overcame a two-goal deficit to tie things up and force a highly anticipated rematch at the regional tournament.

HIGHLIGHTS

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 4-4 Great Lakes
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Event: NCCAA Midwest Regular Season
• Attendance: 75
• Record: MBU (4-7-4), GLCC (3-7-5) 

STORY
A win for Great Lakes would secure the Midwest Region regular season title; a win for Maranatha knocked the Crusaders to fifth while giving the Sabercats the #2 seed in the Midwest melee The Crusaders got things started in the 14th minute, when Gavin Talley scored a volley from Kenan Kennedy's long throw-in. The goal came against the run of play, as the Sabercats were knocking on the door at the other end with early shots from Kirchner and Pedro Ribeiro, who finally combined in the 30th minute for an eye-catching equalizer. After Ribeiro's determined defending forced a loose ball in the Crusaders' half, Kirchner and Ribeiro combined for a one-two pass that sent Kirchner into the box against the goalkeeper. Kirchner made no mistake, chipping the ball into the far corner for a stylish opening goal for Maranatha.

Just 10 minutes later, Kennedy turned from provider to finisher, slamming in a low cross from Marshal Eva to restore the Crusader lead - a lead that would hold going into halftime.

Five minutes into the second half, Grant Brock scored his first collegiate goal in style, rising above everyone in the penalty area to head home from a Michael Doese corner kick. The lead and the momentum were restored for the moment. But the moment was brief. Not two minutes later, Great Lakes finished a corner kick of their own, and followed it up with another goal from Kennedy to make it a 4-2 game.

Momentum: Great Lakes.

But just as the Crusader celebrations abated, Robbie Lemon stepped in to supply his second goal of the season and cut the lead to one. Lemon's run into the box was rewarded by a gift-wrapped cross from Kirchner, as Lemon headed it into the right corner for a commanding third goal of the day for Maranatha. The possibilities of the final 20 minutes were pointless to predict.

Maranatha's pressure was relentless, and with just 10 minutes left, Mike Davis stepped up and delivered what the moment needed. The captain collected a loose ball and launched a 25-yard shot the curled and sunk over the Crusader's goalkeeper, who stood rooted to the spot as the ball hit the back of the net.

Tie game.

Chances came at both ends of the field in the final 10 minutes, but fittingly, a Midwest Region clash for the ages ended in a 4-4 tie that had just about everything.
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Maranatha Starters: 00- I. Balyo, 3- Doese (C), 5- Jones, 8- Davis (C), 9- Ribeiro, 11- Beachell, 12- Greene, 16- Kirchner, 20- P. Holloway (C), 23- Brock, 27- C. Balyo

STATS

• Shot count: Maranatha 21-9 Great Lakes
• Corner Kicks: Maranatha 18-3 Great Lakes
• Kirchner: third goal in two games, 17th career goal
• Brock: first career goal
• Davis: first goal of the season
• Last time: the teams tied 2-2 in Lansing on October 4
• Series: Maranatha leads the all-time series with Great Lakes, 17-2-3

STANDINGS
After the new format for the NCCAA Midwest Region was announced in September, the standings for the NCCAA Midwest are as follows (GD - Goal Difference):

OPPONENTS

• Great Lakes competes with the Sabercats in the NCCAA Midwest Region

NEXT

The Sabercats face Kuyper on Saturday at home in an NCCAA Midwest matchup that does not influence the standings. Follow along at mbusabercats.com/schedule.