A second-half penalty kick proved to be the difference as Moody Bible Institute (Ill.) defeated the Lakeland University men's soccer team 1-0 Saturday night in a non-conference match at Taylor Field.

Nick Gaviria converted a kick at 55:47 of the match after a foul called in the box and it stood up as the only goal of the evening. The Archers defeated the Muskies in the first meeting ever between the two schools.

Lakeland dropped to 0-4 on the season and lost a close game at home for the second time in three days. The Muskies also lost to Northland College 2-0 on Thursday in a match where the guests scored single goals late in each half.

An entertaining match saw the two teams go back and forth often, even as quality goal-scoring chances were rare. Moody (1-4 overall) held a 13-9 advantage in shot attempts, but the two sides combined to put just eight shots on goal.


Lakeland's best chances came in the first half as it controlled possession early. Bonny Figueroa (So.-Steele Canyon, Calif.) and Kenichi Yamamoto (Fr.-Shibuya, Japan) combined for three shots in the first 6:47, and the Muskies also added three more corner kicks over the first 11 minutes.

Moody eventually started to turn the tables, and Jesus Guzman (So.-Plymouth, Wis.) saved a goal by clearing a shot off the line after Thomis Mannebach (Jr.-Florence, Wis.) had come out on an attacker. Mannebach then made his first save with 21 minutes left in the first half, diving to catch a looping header off a crossing pass in front of the goal.

The Muskies had a chance early in the second half as John Bentler (So.-Seattle, Wash.) drilled a shot that goalkeeper Brooks Montgomery allowed a rebound off of, but Lakeland was unable to get to the loose ball. The game changed just a few minutes later, when a sliding tackle in the box drew a penalty kick, and the reserve defender Gaviria converted just inside the right post for his first goal of the season.

Figueroa led the Muskies with four shot attempts, while Bentler added two shots. John Hangsing finished with five shots to lead Moody, a member of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) which was playing Lakeland for the first time.

The Muskies return to play Tuesday when they travel to face Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown for a 4 p.m. kickoff to their non-conference matchup.