LEAD

CHICAGO -- In the 2019 edition of the Maranatha-Moody rivalry, the Sabercats were in search of answers in a 1-0 loss in Chicago.

This is the first of two Maranatha-Moody matchups this season, as the Archers will make the trip to Watertown next Tuesday for an anticipated rematch.

OVERVIEW

• Result: No. 6 Maranatha 0-1 No. 10 Moody
• Venue: Solheim Field, Moody Bible Institute
• Location: Chicago, Ill.
• Attendance: 51
• Records: MBU (3-4-1), MBI (4-4-0)

STORY

The game started with end-to-end action, as both teams traded chances in the opening 10 minutes. Tyler Nelson almost gave the Sabercats a go-ahead goal off a pass from Zeke Steuerwald, but Nelson's shot crashed off the underside of the crossbar and away to safety. Three minutes later, Timothy Kinzler made a courageous double save from a Moody corner-kick play, and right from the get-go, the teams knew this rivalry would be a thriller.

Those two saves in quick succession would be the first of a career-high 16 saves on the night for Kinzler, who had a busier afternoon than he or the Sabercats would have liked.

The only time the Archers were able to beat Kinzler was in the 20th minute - Dani Martinez ran on to a header-pass from Will Snyder before burying the breakaway into the left corner of Kinzler's net.

Despite Kinzler's career-high day, the Sabercats could not find the breakthrough. Maranatha forced the Kaden McCloughan to make 10 saves of his own for the Archers, but Martinez's first-half goal would be all that Moody needed on the day, as the hosts held on through the remainder of the game to secure the win in the first leg of the 2019 rivalry.

MBU Starters: 1- Kinzler, 2- Risma (C), 4- Roer, 7- Nelson, 8- Campbell, 9- Wright, 10- St. Lawrence (C), 12- Steuerwald, 15- J. Hockema, 18- Shepard, 21- Hansel

STATS

• Shot count: Maranatha 16-29 Moody
• Shots on goal: Maranatha 10-16 Moody
• Snyder: 10 shots, 5 on goal
• Nathan Campbell: 3 shots, 3 shots on goal
• Last year: Maranatha won 2-1 at home
• Series: Moody leads the all-time series 31-14

OPPONENTS

• The Archers compete with the Sabercats for the NCCAA North Region
• Moody is now 3-0 in NCCAA DII play and has yet to allow a goal
• The Archers have suffered one-goal losses to Lakeland and Viterbo this season

NEXT

The Sabercats will host Viterbo University on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff. Find results at mbusabercats.com/schedule.