The Lake Forest College women's soccer team posted a 6-2 victory over Cornell College at home on Sunday. Freshman Mimi Vaintrub scored the first two goals of her career, including one that put the Foresters ahead for good late in the first half.
With the score tied at one, Lake Forest sophomore Katelyn Hronek's entry pass was settled by junior Michelle Greeneway and tapped to Vaintrub, who kicked it past the Cornell goalkeeper and into the right side of the net, giving the home team a 2-1 lead with 10:54 to play in the opening half.
Greeneway had given the Foresters the early lead just 93 seconds into the contest. Junior Ellen Rogers received a throw-in and played the ball back to classmate Sam Hillis near the left sideline. Hillis sent in a long pass in front of the goal and Greeneway got her head on the ball and deflected it toward the goal before the keeper could reach it.
Cornell tied the score at the 21:02 mark.
Lake Forest had a 14-5 advantage in shots in the opening half and a 14-2 edge in the second.
Greeneway scored what proved to be the official game-winner three-and-a-half minutes into the second half. Junior Holly Lesperance dove to pass the ball ahead to sophomore Nina Perkkio, who dribbled it into the right side of the box, drew the goalie toward her, and played an accurate cross to Greeneway for an easy score. Greeneway now has 17 goals and a team record-tying seven game-winners this season.
After the Rams pulled back to within a goal at 61:46, Lake Forest regained the two-goal advantage just two-and-a-half minutes later on Lesperance's eighth goal of the year. She received a short pass from Greeneway while streaking from left to right across the middle of the field and kicked a line drive over the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.
Sophomore Kyle Chavarria scored the Foresters' fifth goal of the day and her third of the season, kicking in a long cross from Lesperance at 75:47. Freshman Kayla Wuest had led Lesperance up the right side of the field and Lesperance's pass went over the goalie to Chavarria just in front of the left post.
Lesperance also set up the final score of the contest at the 78:40 mark. She dribbled the ball into the box from the left side and fired a shot at the goal. Cornell's goalie was able to record the save but unable to control the rebound and Vaintrub kicked in her second score of the game.
Forester sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Tenuta saves to earn her ninth victory without a loss this season.
The victory extended Lake Forest's season-opening winning streak to 13 games and raised the Foresters' Midwest Conference record to 4-0-0. Cornell fell to 6-5-1 overall and 2-3-0 in the league.
The Foresters, ranked 20th in the nation in this past week's D3soccer.com poll, will travel to St. Norbert College next Saturday. The contest between the last two league champions will begin at 3:30 p.m.
