LAKEVILLE - The boys soccer team played a tough Bethany Christian team Monday following a rain out nine days ago. LaVille, the #16 ranked boys soccer team in Class 1A, and the Bruins battled both defensively and offensively, before a penalty kick goal by Clark Rowe in the 37th minute of the first half ended up being the deciding factor in a 1-0 victory at Newton Park. In recent history, LaVille has not beaten the Bruins in seven previous attempts, dating back to 2012. Bethany came in with a 6-6 overall record. The Bruins have displayed a mix of offensive breakouts along with hard-fought defensive battle so far this season. For the Lancers, coach Keith Norman's club won its first nine matches of the season, including the semifinal round of the Indiana Northern State Conference soccer championships. The LHS winning streak came to an end after Bremen took a 3-1 decision in the INSC championship match. "We had been riding a wave of momentum before the loss to Bremen on Saturday," said Norman. "Right after that game, the team had a pretty heartfelt discussion. We were quick and decisive about it. We followed our principles, we supported each other, and then it was time to improve and move on." Coming into Monday and the way the 2026 Lancer team is playing - stingy on defense and balanced scoring threats - the eighth match in the series September 28 was sure to be interesting. And that it was. "Monday was a real test," explained Norman, after watching his club pick up a 1-0 victory over the Bruins . "Bethany Christian is a well-respected program, and dating back to 2012, we hadn't beaten them. We also had a long week of games behind us, with a number of guys carrying some nagging injuries. If that wasn't enough, the coaching staff added another layer of control into what has been a pretty explosive and exciting attack for us." Clark Rowe converted the aforementioned PK to score what proved to be the game-winner. "Our defense and the experience we have back there helped stabilize the game while we're trying to make that transition and gain a little more control offensively," noted the LaVille coach. "That's something we're working on. The defensive effort has been really good, but I think a lot of that comes from their willingness to improve. Monday was our eighth shutout of the season, and even with that, these guys are still asking questions at halftime and after every game about what we can do better. "Most goals in soccer come from a defensive mistake. We've made as many as anybody else. The difference is how we respond. We don't expect to play a perfect game. We expect to respond when something goes wrong." LHS improved to 10-1 overall and is scheduled to play host to Caston. The Lancer seniors and their parents/guardians will be recognized prior to the start of the 7:00 PM match on September 29 at Newton Park. BC did outshoot LaVille, 15-11 unofficially, but the Lancers took advantage of a scoring opportunity to pick up a hard-earned home win. Each goalie - Steven Reiff of Bethany and Kyler Christy of LaVille - were kept mildly busy. Reiff had 10 saves, while Christy and the Lancer defense kept the sheet clean with eight saves. LAVILLE 1 BETHANY CHRISTIAN 0 At Newton Park | Lakeville, IN. Score By Half Bethany 0 0 - 0 LaVille 1 0 - 1 Scoring Summary First Half L - '37 Clark Rowe (PK) Second Half No Scoring Shots: Bethany Christian 15, LaVille 11 Corner Kicks: Bethany Christian 2, LaVille 3 Goalie Saves: Bethany Christian (Steven Reiff) 10, LaVille (Kyler Christy) 8 Team Records: Bethany Christian 6-7, LaVille 10-1 Next Match: September 29 Bremen at Bethany Christian, 7:00 PM; September 29 Caston v. LaVille at Newton Park, 7:00 PM