September 4, 2016

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - A pair of Grant Stutzman (Sugarcreek/Hiland) goals during a five-minute span early in the second period propelled the Bluffton University men's soccer team to its second win in as many days on a beautiful Sunday, Sept. 4. The victory moved Bluffton to 2-1 on the season for the first time since the start of the 2010 campaign.

A Nathan Franklin tally less than five minutes after the opening whistle put MacMurray on top. The teams continued to trade jabs throughout the first period, but the score remained 1-0 after the first 45 minutes of play.

Senior Grant Stutzman collected his own rebound and buried the equalizer in minute 62, making the score 1-1. Less than five minutes removed from his first tally of the season, Stutzman used a slick feed from junior Blake Hershberger (Canton/McKinley) to put the Beavers on top for good at 2-1. Senior keeper Matt Hardman-Zimmerman (Forest City, Penn.) needed just one save to improve to 2-1 in the net,

Bluffton finished with an 18-12 advantage in shots, including 12-2 on frame. MacMurray forced four more corner kicks (6-2), while the Beavers were whistled for four more fouls (15-11).

Stutzman fired a team-high six shots for the victors. Fellow senior Blake Drewes (Archbold), Saturday's hero, and freshman Aaron Pennington (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) registered three shots apiece.

The Beavers have an extended break before returning to the pitch on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at Otterbein. The match in Westerville is slated for a 7 p.m. start.

-BEAVERS-