Governors State men’s soccer struck first but couldn’t hold off nationally ranked Grace (IN), falling 3–1 in Winona Lake on Wednesday.

Pedro Mendez put the Jaguars on the board in the 31st minute with his first goal of the season, finishing unassisted to give GSU an early lead. Grace equalized just before halftime on a penalty kick from Luis Munoz, sending the match into the break tied 1–1.

In the second half, Grace’s attack broke through as Diego Yanes scored twice in a seven-minute span, including the go-ahead strike in the 70th minute and an insurance goal in the 77th.

Goalkeeper Matias Gallego kept the Jaguars in contention with six saves against a barrage of 21 shots, while GSU managed five shots of their own, two on frame.

With the result, GSU moved to 1–7 on the year while Grace improved to 6–1–2. The Jaguars return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at Calumet (IN) for a 5 p.m. kickoff.