Goshen, IN — Up until this season, junior defender Jared Price had never attempted a shot on goal in a collegiate men’s soccer match.

Following Saturday night’s match with Grace College, it’s doubtful that he — or the leg turned sledgehammer that dangles from his right hip — will sneak up on anyone anymore.

Price scored Saturday’s first goal from 30 yards out — and his second in as many Mid-Central Conference matches — to give Goshen a 1-0 lead with just three minutes remaining in regulation against the visiting Lancers, preserving the Leafs’ stronghold for second place in the ultra-tight MCC and keeping its undefeated 8-0-1 home record in tact. Goshen would add another score with just under one minute to play against Grace, but it was Price’s long-distance blast that sealed the deal for head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj’s club in dramatic fashion.

“We were all set to go into an overtime,” Mounsithiraj said following the match. “Jared snuck up and hammered one home and everything changed, just like that. It was an amazing goal.”

Price’s blast against Grace was nearly identical to his rocketed 30-yard score at Bethel College on Sept. 30, when the defender notched the Leafs’ lone goal against the Pilots (click here for recap). On that night, Price’s goal was the first point on the board, though it came early in the first half. The same was true Saturday against Grace, though it came at a far different time.

“I thought tonight’s match would be a tough one, and it was,” Mounsithiraj said. “I am very happy to get this all-important MCC win. Grace is a good team with good speed up front. I knew they would come to our place and put everything they have on the field. It would not be easy for us.”

Despite maintaining possession through the majority of the match, Goshen (10-1-1, 3-1) could not shake the Lancers. Grace’s speed continually allowed the team counter attacks following Goshen pushes, keeping the Leafs’ defensive team of Price, senior James Graber and juniors Joel Miller, Craig Welscott and Adam Yoder occupied all evening long.

“I thought we needed to be a little more patient than we were for most of the match,” Mounsithiraj said. “We struggled to get back on a couple of their counter attacks, but our defensive team did an awesome job keeping Grace off the scoreboard. (Goalkeeper) Craig Welscott made a couple crucial saves to preserve his fifth shut out of the season, and also gave our offensive team chances to create goals.”

Welscott’s punts following saves helped Mounsithiraj’s team to a 10 to four advantage of corner kicks on the night, but still, Goshen could not find the back of the net. Forwards Tony Janzen (sophomore) and Cody Felton (freshman) were able to streak free on several occasions toward the Grace goal, but neither could convert on below-average looks at the net.

That trend continued up until the 87th minute, when it appeared to everyone in attendance that overtime was imminent. It was then that Goshen’s possession game finally did pay off, as a series of back passes led to Price being uncovered from 30 yards out. He sized up the ball and unleashed a rocket that screamed over the top of the Lancers’ keeper, setting off a jubilant celebration on the Goshen sidelines.

“Lately Jared has been stepping up from his defender position and sneaking in a shot here and a shot there,” Mounsithiraj said. “He’s another player other teams have to worry about on their half of the field now. With only three minutes to play after he scored, I knew we could hang onto the lead without getting another goal.”

Mounsithiraj’s team didn’t have to. Just two minutes later, Janzen took a beautiful pass from freshman Raad Qumsieh in the middle of the field, one touched and then volleyed a shot into the upper left hand corner of the net, putting on all the extra insurance the Leafs would need. After 87 minutes of scoreless soccer, Goshen had a 2-0 lead with 55 seconds to play.

“Soccer is a funny game sometimes, but this is a very good result for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “We have been working really hard to be competitive in this conference. Some of that hard work paid off for us late tonight.”

Goshen will next travel to Huntington University on Wednesday for the team’s second league match of the season away from the Goshen College Soccer Complex. Match time is set for 3:30 p.m.