The Lake Forest College men's soccer team defeated host Grinnell College 2-0 on Saturday and claimed the 18th Midwest Conference title in program history.
The Foresters took the early lead at the 16:39 mark on the second score of the season by junior Elliot Hull. He took senior Teddy Kolesnikov's corner kick from the right side and headed it into the right side of the goal, just past the outstretched arms of the Pioneer goalkeeper.
Lake Forest out-shot the home team 6-4 in the opening period and were still ahead 1-0 at the half.
The visitors added the their advantage less than eight minutes into the second half on the team's high fifth goal of the year by freshman Karl Weisenfeld. Junior Ifet Mrkalj quickly played a free kick opportunity from just outside the top of the box, finding Weisenfeld on the left side of the defense. With nobody but the goalie in the way, Weisenfeld tucked his shot just inside the left post for the score.
The Foresters had a slight 8-7 advantage in shots in the final period and junior goalkeeper Szymon Mocarski added one more save to the two he registered in the first 45 minutes to earn his third consecutive shutout and fourth this season.
Lake Forest improved to 6-8-3 overall and 5-1-2 in league play while Grinnell, who entered the game atop the standings, fell to 9-7-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the conference.
While Saturday's triumph assured Lake Forest of at least a share of the league title, a victory by Illinois College over Ripon College left the Foresters alone in first place. Lake Forest will host next weekend's four-team MWC Tournament and will take on fourth-place Knox College in Friday's 11:00 a.m. semifinal. Grinnell will face Ripon in the second semifinal and the winners will meet Saturday afternoon at 2:00 with an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament at stake.
