Home field heartbreak once again for Mustangs

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- In what has become a theme during the Heart of America Athletic Conference season, the Mount Mercy men's soccer team went toe-to-toe with a ranked opponent at Hadzic Field only to see late-game heroics thwart an upset bid.

This time it was 17th-ranked Baker that provided some late offense in a 2-0 victory over Mount Mercy. Both teams had chances throughout, although it was the Mustangs who missed several point blank opportunities, including a penalty kick in the 87th minute that would have leveled the match at 1-1.

It was Baute Labake's first goal of the season that put the Wildcats (9-5-0, 5-3-0 Heart) in front in the 81st minute and the 14th goal of the year by Gyorgy Kamaras in the 89th minute that clinched it for the visitors. Mount Mercy (6-7-0, 3-5-0 Heart) played with 10 men for the final 25 minutes of the match following a red card in the 65th minute.

Shots were 19-11 in favor of Baker, who put eight of them on frame compared to four by the Mustangs. Collyn Lowry made four saves, including the aforementioned penalty kick, to preserve a clean sheet. Mount Mercy's Joao Pedro Oliveira stopped five shots in the full 90 minutes.

The Mustangs face the final two weeks of the regular season with 3-of-4 games on the road, beginning with a trip to Oskaloosa to face William Penn on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. Mount Mercy is at Evangel for a 2:30 pm match on Saturday in Springfield, Mo.