DES MOINES, IA — Saneyuki Yamagata scored twice and Grand View rolled past Benedictine 5-0 on Wednesday in the Heart of America Conference Tournament quarterfinals. The No. 2 seed Vikings advance to the semifinals and improve to 11-5-3 overall, while the No. 7 seed Ravens finish the season at 10-6-3.
Grand View took control early. Justin Figaroa put the Vikings on the board in the 6th minute with an assist from Yamagata, and Luis Helm answered in the 9th with a save on a Benedictine shot. Anthony Ulloa and Herman Furumo each had attempts blocked as Grand View kept the pressure on. Benedictine pushed back with a handful of corner kicks and a few looks, and Helm denied another attempt in the 22nd minute to protect the lead. Kais Sabic made it 2-0 in the 41st minute, finishing off an assist from Kendall Guzman. Benedictine picked up a yellow card in the 43rd minute, and Grand View went into the break up two.
The second half belonged to the Vikings. Yamagata scored in the 48th minute off a feed from Ulloa, then added his second of the match four minutes later in the 52nd, this time set up by Furumo, to make it 4-0. Helm kept the shutout intact with saves in the 49th and 58th minutes as Benedictine searched for a way back in. Furumo put the finishing touch on the night in the 62nd minute, scoring off an assist from Ulloa to make it 5-0. Grand View kept attacking from there, with Figaroa and Eishu Nishizono each getting looks late, and Helm made one more stop in the 86th minute to seal the shutout. Grand View was shown one yellow card, while Benedictine picked up three.
GAME NOTES
- No. 2 seed Grand View beat No. 7 seed Benedictine 5-0 in the Heart of America Conference Tournament quarterfinals
- Saneyuki Yamagata scored twice, in the 48th and 52nd minutes, and assisted on Justin Figaroa's opening goal
- Anthony Ulloa had two assists, and Herman Furumo, Kendall Guzman and Kais Sabic also factored into the scoring
- Luis Helm made 5 saves in net for Grand View to secure the shutout, 2 in the first half and 3 in the second
- Benedictine out-shot Grand View 12-11, but Grand View held a 6-5 edge in shots on goal
- Benedictine had a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks
- Yellow cards: Grand View 1, Benedictine 3
WHAT'S NEXT?
Grand View hosts No. 3 MidAmerica Nazarene in the Heart of America Semifinals at Cownie Soccer Complex on Saturday, November 7 at 2 PM.
