Busenitz Nets Two Game Winners, Eagles Sweep Homecoming Weekend

Ankeny, IA - The Eagle men won two nail-biters this past weekend, defeating Ozark Christian College and Maranatha Baptist University by identical 1-0 scores to earn the Homecoming Weekend sweep and push their win streak to 10 games. Captain James Busenitz was the deciding factor in both games, as he netted both game-winners to push Faith to 10-1-1 on the year. 

On Friday, the Eagles hosted the Ambassadors from Ozark Christian College. In their previous meeting this season, the Eagles defeated the Ambassadors 6-0. Due to storms plaguing the Ankeny area, the match was moved to the nearby RecPlex indoor sports complex in West Des Moines. The turf field inside the RecPlex was a beautiful place to play, the kind of field that NCCAA teams rarely get to compete on. 

The 1st half was controlled by the Eagles. Early in the 1st half, the Eagles had a chance to score on a penalty kick but were not able to convert. The Ambassadors played a defensive lineup and packed the box which made it difficult for the Eagles to score and both teams went into the half tied 0-0.

The 2nd half was much like the 1st, as the Eagles dominated possession. In the 51st minute, Busenitz took matters into his own hands as he dribbled down the sideline, across the end line past the Ambassador's defense, and tapped in a goal from 5 yards out. With the Eagles up 1-0, all they needed to do was hang on to the lead, which they did, winning the match 1-0. 

This was a historic game for the Eagles, as they clinched the regular season MCCC championship for the first time since 1996 and they set the school record for most consecutive wins at 9. 

The setting for Saturday morning's match with Maranatha was not ideal, with a brisk wind and off-and-on drizzle for much of the match. There was a raucous crowd at Pyche Field as FBBC was hosting homecoming festivities this weekend. The Sabercats are rivals of the Eagles so the game had high hopes of being a competitive match. 

The 1st half started in the Sabercat's favor as they had numerous shots on goal. The Eagle's defense and goalie Sam Carsetson made some terrific plays to keep the ball out of the net. The Eagles responded and had a few chances of their own. Neither team could find the back of the net and the half came to a close tied 0-0. 

The 2nd half was a different story. The Eagles seemed to have the momentum as they were able to put a lot more pressure on the Sabercat's defense. The Eagles had a few good shots on goal but the Sabercats were able to keep them from scoring. Time was dwindling down as the game looked as if it might end in a tie. Like many times this season, senior midfielder James Busenitz decided to take over the game. In the 85th minute, left defensive back Parker Lundberg started the sequence with a dose of wizardry as he drove by a nearby defender. Lundberg then passed the ball to Busenitz who dribbled the ball from the left sideline across the middle of the field towards the top of the box. While falling to the ground, Busenitz hooked a perfect ball into the net, right over the Sabercats goalie's outstretched glove. The packed homecoming crowd went wild as Busenitz and company ran down the sideline to celebrate the go-ahead goal. 

The Sabercat's last-minute attempts to tie the game failed as the final buzzer sounded, handing the Eagles the win 1-0. This win gave the Eagles their 10th consecutive win pushing their record to 10-1-1 (5-0 in MCCC play).

Next Tuesday, the Eagles go on the road for their last MCCC regular season game as they face the Eagles from Emmaus Bible College at 4pm CDT.