Ravens Top Lions on Stadium Dedication/Hall of Fame Induction Day

The Anderson University men's soccer team earned its second Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) victory on Saturday after defeating the Lions of Mount St. Joseph University 4-2. After going down in the first half, the Ravens were able to gain their composure and come back to secure the victory.

Before the match, Anderson University hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to mark the completion of Stage 1 of the newly named Fridley Field. Stage 1 of the project consisted of: an underground sprinkling system, video scoreboard, fencing of the facility, finishing the press box, vinyl siding the building, concessions stand purchased, picnic tables, landscaping, stadium bleachers, and four team areas with sports medicine and a restroom.

During the celebration, it was announced by the AU Men's Soccer Alumni that the field will now be named after Head Coach Scott Fridley as Fridley Field.

With the match underway, the ball went back and forth on the field with both sides taking a shot on goal. A physical match ensued between the two sides, with multiple fouls happening throughout the full 90 minutes.

As both sides continued to take shots, the Lions (2-10, 1-3) found the back of the net first in the 27^th minute from Sergio Dole off a Justin Ives assist. Mount St. Joseph would take a couple more shots, but it would be the Ravens (5-6-2, 2-0-2) who found the net next. In the 43^rd minute, right before halftime, Drew Vaughn (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek) found the back of the net off a Dalton Grubbs (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) assist. The half ended in a 1-1 tie.

The second half resulted in an offensive showcase for the Ravens, taking multiple shots and finding the goal multiple times. The half started with two back-to-back shots by Caleb Gonser (Terre Haute, Ind. / Terre Haute South), with the first being blocked and the second saved by Lions goalkeeper Matthew Hibbard. The Lions would take the ball down the field and have two shots as well, but hit both off frame. Then, in the 63^rd minute, Dalton Grubbs found the back of the net for himself to give the Ravens the lead. The play started with Grant Conklin (Lewisburg, Ohio / Troy Christian) making a pass across the box that the Lions were able to clear out. Dalton Grubbs was then able to be the first player to get to the ball, taking one touch to put him about 25 yards out from goal, then sending in the air above the Lions defense and into the top right corner. The ball hit off the crossbar, but landed straight down and just across the goal-line to give the Ravens a 2-1 lead.

Both teams would get one more shot before the Ravens found the goal for the third time. Grant Conklin gave the Ravens a 3-1 lead with a goal in the 75^th minute. Conklin received the ball in the center of the box in-between two defenders. He was able to keep the ball on his foot as he turned it around with the outside of his foot to get past his defenders and face the goal and slide the ball on the inside of the oncoming keeper into the back of the net. 

Just three minute later, Conklin would get his second goal of the game. The Ravens would earn a free kick on their offensive half. Dalton Grubbs would use the free kick to send the ball into the box. Sam Rowlison (Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) got a piece of the free kick, which he headed where Grant Conklin was running to be able to volley the ball in the air and put the ball low and to the ground just under the Lions' goalkeeper. The Ravens now led the Lions 4-1.

Mount St. Joseph answered quickly, taking a shot off a free kick that was initially saved twice by the Ravens but followed up by the Lions Michael Abel to make it a 4-2 game.

Anderson would spend the rest of the game taking six more shots, but were unable to get any past the Lions goalkeeper. The final whistle would blow and the Ravens would secure their second victory of the week.

On the match, Conklin totaled two goals while Grubbs racked up four points off a goal and two assists. The Ravens dominated the game, almost doubling the Lions' shots. Anderson held 22 shots with half of them on goal versus the Lions' 13 shots and nine on goal. Caleb Gonser led the team with five shots on the day, hitting three on frame. Victor Silva (Paramount, Calif. / St. Matthia Catholic) had four shots with one on goal. Grant Conklin followed with three shots, putting two in the back of the net to help lead the Ravens to victory. Stephen Fite (Cincinnati, Ohio / Homeschool) had two shots with one on goal. Drew Vaughn and Dalton Grubbs both netted their only shot. Cameron Beadle (Terre Haute, Ind. / North Vigo) and Caleb Opoku (Columbus, Ohio / Worthington) both hit their only shot on goal. Matthew Murray (Indianapolis, Ind. / Pike), Sam Rowlison Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern, Luke Burkle (Muncie, Ind. / Delta), and Usman Kamara (Indianapolis, Ind. / Franklin Central) tallied up the rest of the Ravens shots.

On defense, Danny Moro-Medina (Goshen, Ind./ Goshen) saved seven of the nine shots he faced. Dalton Grubbs and Drew Vaughn shared the team lead with three steals each while Caleb Gonser and Drew Vaughn shared the team lead with two intercepts apiece.

The AU men's soccer program had 2001 graduate Ryan Bennison inducted into the Anderson Hall of Fame as well as the 2000 men's soccer team inducted into the Anderson Hall of Fame. Bennison is the fourth men's soccer player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He earned first-team all-HCAC honors as a junior and senior, while being named the HCAC MVP as a senior. The 2000 men's soccer team is the first team in program history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. That conference championship team finished with a 13-8 overall record and a 5-0 HCAC record, marking the program's only undefeated season in conference play.

Head Coach Scott Fridley had this to say after Saturday's game and Homecoming festivities: "What a day. We had early opportunities to get ahead and couldn't get it in the goal. We are learning and getting better for sure. The second half, we did a better job of finding the net. It was an exciting day. There were lots of people celebrating Ryan Bennison and the 2000 team. They are a very special bunch. I'm proud of the boys."

On Wednesday the Ravens hit the road as they head to Defiance, Ohio to take on the Yellow Jackets of Defiance College (7-8, 2-2) in an HCAC match-up. Kick-off is at 3:30PM.