Saving the Draw

Watertown, WI - October 21, 2023

In a hard-fought match on the road, Emmaus Bible College secured a crucial 1-1 draw against the Maranatha Baptist University Sabercats. The result earned on the road in Watertown, Wisconsin, positions the Eagles above-.500 at 5-4-2 and keeps them in contention to earn the #1 seed for the upcoming NCCAA Midwest Regional Tournament back, which will be back in Watertown on Nov. 3-4.

Without their leading scorer, Cristian Anderson, Emmaus entered the match with a new formation and setup, aiming to maintain their team balance and build upon a four-game unbeaten streak. The Sabercats pressed early, testing goalkeeper Tucker Kapas, who made several key saves, while the defense adjusted to thwart the early pressure. Maranatha outshot the Eagles 11-5 in the first half, but both teams entered halftime even at 0-0.

In the 57th minute, Maranatha broke the deadlock, taking the lead through a combination play down the right side that saw the Sabercat winger slide a ball past Kapas to the far post. 

A pivotal moment came in the 75th minute when Josef Speichinger, subbed in after a strong shift from Kenny Crum, and headed home the equalizer from a floating cross by Jacob Davis. The Eagles thought they had earned an important road draw, but the result was put to the test when Maranatha earned a penalty kick in the 86th minute.

Facing a potential game-deciding goal, Kapas delivered a heroic save by diving low to his left and keeping the penalty out of the net. The final minutes saw Emmaus successfully see out the game, with players surrounding Kapas at the final whistle to celebrate the hard-earned tie.

After the match, Emmaus Head Coach Chris McHugh praised the team's effort, stating, "That was a huge save by Tucker...and honestly I couldn't watch the PK! We're a little undermanned with our roster today, but the guys battled so well. Josef's header was great to see, his first collegiate goal, and from there I was hoping we could get the draw. Tucker's save was that little extra we needed today!" 

Up next: The MCCC Tournament in Ankeny, IA. Emmaus will play Manhattan Christian College in Semifinal #1 on Friday, Oct. 27.