SALT LAKE CITY - The Wesminster Griffins played their first game at Dumke field against No. 19 MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers in front of a large supporting fan base, and the Griffins did not disappoint.

The Pioneers got off to an early lead after forward Oumar Seck scored in the fifth minute. The Griffins retaliated quickly and created several scoring opportunities, though the equalizer did not come right away. The first half ended 1-0.

Five minutes into the second half, an altercation between Griffin midfielder Spencer Luczak and a Pioneer midfielder resulted in a red card for the Pioneers. They were forced to play the rest of the game a man Down. Soon after, the Griffins took advantage of the red card and found the back of the net with a wonderful strike from Luczak. Luczak received the ball on the wing, after a great buildup through the midfield, and rifled a shot into the far upper corner of the goal.

The game wouldn't see another goal in regulation and the teams were forced to two 10-minute, sudden death overtime periods. The Griffins had the majority of possession and chances throughout the game, but,
as the final minutes of the second overtime ticked away, a tie seemed inevitable. However, in the 109th minute, forward Jeff Gardner found the net from a corner. Gardner timed his run to meet a perfectly placed corner from Isaac Green and found the back of the net with his head, securing a victory for the Griffins.

The Griffins improve to 1-3 on the season and return to Dumke field tomorrow, at 12:30 pm to face Kansas Wesleyan University.