Grand View University

DES MOINES, IA — Grand View clinched the No. 2 seed in the Heart of America Conference Tournament with a 2-0 shutout of Missouri Valley on Saturday at Cownie Soccer Complex. Saneyuki Yamagata scored on a first-half penalty kick, Anthony Ulloa added a second-half goal, and Luis Helm made seven saves. The win moves Grand View to 10-5-3 overall and 9-3-2 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, while Missouri Valley falls to 9-4-4 overall and 8-3-3 in league action.

Grand View had the first look of the match, with Eishu Nishizono sending a shot wide left in the 8th minute. Missouri Valley tested Helm early, and he made saves in the 10th and 17th minutes to keep the match scoreless. Herman Furumo sent in corner kicks in the 12th and 22nd minutes, Dylan Hunston put a header over the bar, and Nils Knecht and Justin Figaroa each had attempts turned away by Missouri Valley defenders. Grand View finally broke through in the 28th minute, when Yamagata converted a penalty kick to make it 1-0. Yamagata and Kais Sabic each forced a save from the Missouri Valley goalkeeper before the break, and Furumo sent in a corner kick in the final minute of the half as Grand View took its lead into the locker room.

Missouri Valley pushed harder after halftime, and Helm was ready. He denied a shot in the 48th minute and made another save in the 65th as Missouri Valley earned corner kicks and kept the pressure on. Grand View answered with back-to-back Figaroa corner kicks in the 50th minute, and Hunston followed with a header that was saved. Helm stopped another Missouri Valley attempt in the 74th minute, and Grand View made it 2-0 right after, when Ulloa finished off a feed from Pau Gonzalez in the 75th. Gonzalez forced a save in the 78th and put another shot just over the bar a minute later. Missouri Valley pressed late, but Helm made back-to-back saves in the 88th minute to lock up the shutout and the No. 2 seed. Grand View was shown two yellow cards in the match, and Missouri Valley was not carded.

GAME NOTES

• The win clinched the No. 2 seed in the Heart of America Conference Tournament for Grand View
• Saneyuki Yamagata scored on a penalty kick in the 28th minute to give Grand View a 1-0 lead
• Anthony Ulloa scored in the 75th minute off an assist from Pau Gonzalez
• Luis Helm made 7 saves in net for Grand View to secure the shutout, 2 in the first half and 5 in the second
• Shots were even at 12-12, with Grand View holding an 8-7 edge in shots on goal
• Grand View had a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks
• Yellow cards: Grand View 2, Missouri Valley 0
• The win improves Grand View to 9-3-2 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play