A total of 361 teams earned the award, 259 women's squads and 102 on the men's side. Squads must have a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher to be honored. Grinnell's women ranked 28th among all teams, while the Pioneer men were 32nd.

The Grinnell women are coached by Heather Benning and the men by Brian Jaworski.
See national academic teams

Three Grinnell College men's soccer players have been named to the All-Midwest Conference first team for the 2008 campaign.

Those being named to the elite squad were forward Andrew Walsh '09 (upper left), defender JP Prouty '10 (upper right) and midfielder Alex Exarhos '10 (lower left). Defender Andrew Mullins '11 (lower right) earned a spot on the All-MWC second team.

Walsh led the Pioneers in numerous offensive categories, including goals (9), assists (5) and points (23). He ranked fourth in the conference in goals and points and ninth in assists. Prouty finished the campaign with three goals, while Exarhos had two.

Prouty was also a first-teamer last year, while Exarhos and Mullins were second-teamers in 2007. Walsh, Prouty and Exarhos were second-teamers in 2006.

Craig Carlson of Carroll University was named the 2008 MWC Player of the Year, while Carroll's Rick Mobley was tabbed Coach of the Year.
2008 All-Midwest Conference Soccer Team

The Grinnell College men's soccer team fell just short of its goal of winning a Midwest Conference Tournament title with a 4-1 setback to Carroll University Saturday afternoon in Waukesha, Wis.

The third-seed Pioneers, who were playing in their first MWC Tourney championship game since 1995, finished their 2008 campaign with a 12-6-1 mark. Top-seeded Carroll moved to 17-3 and earned the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Carroll jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the game's first 22 minutes on goals by Derek Marie, Scott Pease and Dona Labo. But Grinnell made things interesting when Justin Koester '10 scored in the 24th minute for his second goal of the year. Mark Rosenberg '11 had the assist, his third of 2008.

But Carroll got a goal from Marc Hietpas in the 40th minute for a 4-1 halftime lead, and then the teams battled to a scoreless second half. Carroll outshot Grinnell 11-6, although the visitors held a 4-3 edge in that department in the second half. Koester had three of Grinnell's shots, while the others came from Andrew Stephenson '10, Andrew Walsh '09 and Andrew Mullins '11. Grinnell keeper Ben Schemper '11 had four saves.

"Let me first congratulate Carroll," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "They are a very experienced team and they punish you for making mistakes all over the field. Best of luck to them in the NCAA Tournament. They're going to be a great representative for the Midwest Conference.

"The game itself was an attractive game to watch and we did nothing to tarnish our well-earned reputation of being a tough and demanding team to play against," he added. "We had some unfortunate plays go against us but never lost confidence and we played the full 90 minutes. We're disappointed and I think most of that disappointment comes from knowing that we didn't play bad, but we could have certainly played a more complete game."
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team put itself in position to win its first Midwest Conference Tournament title in 14 years by posting a 1-0 win over St. Norbert College in semifinal action on a Friday afternoon at Waukesha, Wis.

The third-seeded Pioneers, who improved to 12-5-1 overall and avenged an earlier overtime loss to the Green Knights, will play top-seeded and host Carroll University at noon Saturday for the title. The winner earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Carroll advanced with a 6-1 win over fourth-seeded Lake Forest earlier in the day, which saw weather conditions ranging from rain to snow to wind to cold.

Grinnell, which hadn't won a MWC Tourney game since 1995 and hasn't won the title since 1994, got the only goal it needed in the 31st minute from Mark Rosenberg '11. It was his sixth goal of the season. Ben Schemper '11 had another flawless effort in goal for the Pioneers, as he recorded his third shutout of the season while recording five saves.

The teams tied each other in shots with nine apiece. Rosenberg had three of Grinnell's shots, Andrew Walsh '09 and Justin Koester '10 had two each and Alex Exarhos '10 and Stephen Craig '11 tallied one apiece.

"This is one of the best team wins I've been a part of," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "From Schemper to Rosenberg to Parker Koester to JP Prouty, everybody on this team was ready to play and contributed to this win. We'll enjoy this win for the next few hours and somewhere around 9 p.m., our focus will shift to what it will take to beat Carroll. We came here to win two games … we've got one down and one to go."

Second-seeded St. Norbert finished its campaign with a 13-6 record.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team is eying another shot at St. Norbert College when the teams hook up in the opening round of the Midwest Conference Tournament at 2 p.m. Friday in Waukesha, Wis.

Grinnell, the third seed, lost a thrilling 2-1 overtime decision to the second-seeded Green Knights on Oct. 11. That game was scoreless at halftime before John Cremer scored for St. Norbert. The Pioneers' JP Prouty '10 countered with a goal in the final minute of regulation to force overtime. St. Norbert got a goal from Donny Baloun in the last minute of the initial extra period to secure the win for the visitors.

Grinnell's Andrew Walsh '09 is fourth in the conference in points with 23 and fourth in goals with nine. Teammate Mark Rosenberg '11 is tied for ninth in goals with five. Grinnell's keepers have both been stellar, as Greg Fox '12 has a 0.69 goals against average and .857 save percentage, while Ben Schemper '11 has a 1.28 goals against average and .744 save percentage.

Grinnell enters the game at 11-5-1 overall and 6-2-1 in league play, while St. Norbert is 13-5 in all games and 8-1 in the league. Adam Sanchez of the Green Knights leads the league in points with 35 and goals with 16, while Ben Vanden Avond is tied for sixth in points with 19. Cremer, Eric Natwick, Kevin Conrath and Vanden Avond are all tied for ninth in goals with five. Vanden Avond is also tied for second in assists with nine. Keeper Joe Schwartz is third in the conference in goals against average at 1.81.

Top-seeded Carroll entertains fourth-seeded Lawrence in Friday's other semifinal at 11 a.m. The semifinal winners meet at noon Saturday for the title and NCAA Tournament berth.
MIDWEST CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
At Waukesha, Wis.
Friday's Semifinals
#1 seed Carroll University vs. # 4 seed Lawrence University, 11 a.m.
#2 seed St. Norbert College vs. #3 seed Grinnell College, 2 p.m.
Saturday's Championship
Semifinal winners play, noon

The Grinnell College men's soccer team geared up for next weekend's Midwest Conference Tournament by topping Knox College 3-1 Saturday in Galesburg, Ill.

Matti Sahel '11, Charlie Kessner '12 and Justin Koester '10 all scored goals for the Pioneers, who wound up Midwest Conference play with a 6-2-1 mark and improved to 11-5-1 overall.

Andrew Walsh '09 had two assists for the Pioneers, including one on the first goal when he beat a defender to the end line and slotted the ball across to Sahel, who had a perfectly-timed run and placed the ball in the corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Grinnell's second goal began on a corner kick by Mark Rosenberg '11, who served it to the six-yard line. Aaron Swaney '11 went for the ball and barely missed it, but Kessner got control and fired it with a hard left-footed shot into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. The third score came when Walsh found Koester on a quick counter attack and Koester shot a laser to beat the goalie for his first goal of 2008.

"We had some guys banged up, so we put some younger players into big roles and they stepped up," said captain Andrew Stephenson '10. "We saw some things we needed to see heading into the conference tournament. We tried out a few things and got the win under some tough circumstances."

"That is the best I have ever seen Knox play," added Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "I'm proud our guys didn't give in. There were some tense moments, but I never felt like we were going to tie or lose this game. It's rather obvious we're looking forward to our semifinal match against St. Norbert."

Grinnell is the third seed in the MWC Tourney and will play second-seeded St. Norbert at 2 p.m. next Friday at Carroll University.
Box Score

Grinnell College's Andrew Walsh '09 (left) and JP Prouty '10 (right) have been named to the College Division District 7 Academic All-District men's soccer second team.

The award is presented by ESPN the Magazine and the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Walsh, a forward from Madison, Wis. (West HS), is a Spanish major and Prouty, a defender from Stilwell, Kan. (Blue River HS), is majoring in biological chemistry.

Walsh leads the Pioneers in goals (nine) and points (21) this season while also coming up with three assists. He has earned second-team All-Midwest Conference honors in his career as well as Academic All-Conference recognition.

Prouty has three goals and six points on the season and has also been a key cog in Grinnell's strong defense. He has been named All-MWC twice in his career, including first-team last year, plus has earned Academic All-Conference recognition.

Both players have also earned MWC Performer of the Week honors this season.
Click to see Academic All-District Men's Teams

The Grinnell College men's soccer team closes out regular-season play Saturday while also getting a final tuneup for the upcoming Midwest Conference Tournament.

The Pioneers, 10-5-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the league, play at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., at 11 a.m. Saturday. Grinnell is guaranteed the third seed in the MWC Tourney, which is slated for the following weekend.

Grinnell's Andrew Walsh '09 is fourth in the league in goals per game at 0.56 and also fourth in overall goals with nine. Teammate Mark Rosenberg '11 is tied for ninth in goals with five, while Andrew Stephenson '10 is tied eighth in assists with four and ninth in assists per game at 0.25. Keeper Greg Fox '12 ranks second in the conference in goals against average at 0.69, while Ben Schemper '11 has also done a solid job with a 1.31 goals against average.

Knox is 1-7 in the MWC, with the win coming against Monmouth College, and is 5-10 overall. Lawrence Povoas has been the offensive leader for the Prairie Fire, as he ranks in the league's top 10 in goals per game (fifth with 0.50), goals (tied for fifth at seven), points per game (seventh at 1.07) and points (tied for eighth with 15). Keeper Cary Archer is seventh in the conference with a 2.37 goals against average.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team finished off the home portion of its 2008 schedule in perfect fashion Saturday afternoon and made a strong statement for the upcoming Midwest Conference Tournament by blanking Lake Forest College 1-0.

Andrew Walsh '09 scored the lone goal of the game for Grinnell and now has scored the Pioneers' last four goals dating back to last weekend. Ben Schemper '11 (pictured) was masterful at keeper, recording two saves while earning the shutout.

The first half was scoreless and so was most of the second before Walsh found the back of the net in the 79th minute on assists by Stephen Craig '11 and Justin Koester '10. It was Walsh's team-high ninthth goal of the season, while Koester now has two assists and Craig one.

Grinnell outshot Lake Forest 15-9, with Walsh taking four shots for the Pioneers, JP Prouty '10 taking three and Andrew Stephenson '10, Koester, Alex Exarhos '10 and Mark Rosenberg '11 getting two apiece.

With the win, Grinnell improved to 5-2-1 in the MWC and 10-5-1 in all contests. Lake Forest fell to 2-4 in the league and 3-12 overall. Grinnell concludes the regular season on Nov. 1 against Knox in Galesburg, Ill.
Box Score

Grinnell College's Andrew Walsh '09 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

Walsh, a forward from Madison, Wis. (Madison West High School) scored three goals in the Pioneer's 4-1 victory at Ripon College on Saturday. He now has a team-high eight goals to go along with three assists as the Pioneers moved to 4-2-1 in the conference over the weekend and 9-5-1 overall.

The Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week is Bram Daelemans of Carroll University.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team dropped a 3-0 decision to Midwest Conference unbeaten Carroll University Sunday afternoon in Waukesha, Wis.

With the win, Carroll won its first-ever Midwest Conference title and improved to 7-0 in the league and 13-3 overall. Grinnell is 4-2-1 in the MWC and 9-5-1 in all games.

Carroll led 1-0 at halftime on Dona Lado's 11th-minute goal that was assisted by Craig Carlson. The hosts added goals in the 55th and 57th minutes on goals by Marc Hietpas and Scott Pease that were assisted by Derek Marie and Bram Daelemans, respectively.

Carroll outshot Grinnell 22-10. Andrew Stephenson '10, Thomas Gerberding '10 and Alex Exarhos '10 all took two shots for Grinnell. Greg Fox '12 and Ben Schemper '11 split halves at keeper for the Pioneers, with Fox recording five saves and Schemper three.

Grinnell plays its final regular-season home game this coming Saturday against Lake Forest College at 1:30 p.m., and then wraps up the regular season the following Saturday at Knox College. That is an 11 a.m. contest.
Box Score

Andrew Walsh '09 (pictured) recorded a hat trick to lead the Grinnell College men's soccer team past Ripon College 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Walsh scored in the 15th and 20th minutes to put the Pioneers ahead 2-0 at halftime, and then added his third goal in the 60th minute for a 3-0 edge. Andrew Stephenson '10 had the assist on the first and third goals, while Justin Koester '10 had the assist on the second goal. Stephenson completed the scoring for Grinnell with an unassisted goal in the 63rd minute.

Ripon completed the scoring with a goal in the 78th minute. Grinnell outshot the hosts 19-7, with Stephenson and Walsh getting four shots apiece and Koester and Matti Sahel '11 three apiece. Walsh has a team-high eight goals on the season and Stephenson has four. Greg Fox '12 earned the win at keeper for Grinnell, as he recorded two saves in 84 minutes.

Grinnell improved to 4-1-1 in the Midwest Conference and 9-4-1 overall, while Ripon fell to 0-6-1 in league play and 2-12-1 in all contests. Grinnell now travels to Carroll University for a contest Sunday. Carroll entered the weekend unbeaten in league play.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team takes to the road this weekend for a pair of contests in Wisconsin.

The Pioneers, 8-4-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the Midwest Conference, play at Ripon College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and then are at Carroll College at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Grinnell's Mark Rosenberg '11 and Andrew Walsh '09 are tied for sixth in the conference in goals with five, while keeper Greg Fox '12 ranks first in goals against average with 0.55 and is tied for third in shutouts with two.

Ripon, 0-5-1 in the conference and 2-11-1 overall, is led by Marco Rhein's five goals on the season. Keeper Matt Schultz has a 2.76 goals against average. Carroll is the lone unbeaten in the MWC at 6-0 in league play while holding an 11-3 overall mark. Andy Prentice and Marc Hietpas rank second and third in the conference in goals with nine and eight, respectively, while Craig Carlson has scored six. Dona Lado and Bram Daelmans are tied for third in assists with six, while keeper Stanislaw Miaskowski is second behind Fox in goals against average at 0.56.

Grinnell plays its final regular-season home game on Oct. 25 when Lake Forest College visits for a 1:30 p.m. test.

Grinnell College's JP Prouty '10 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week.

Prouty, a defender from Stilwell, Kan. (Blue Valley High School), scored on two penalty kicks in games over the weekend while also providing strong overall defense. His PK near the end of regulation sent Saturday's game with St. Norbert into overtime, and he added another that proved to be the game-winning goal in a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Lawrence.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Dona Lado of Carroll University.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team bounced back from Saturday's heart-breaking loss to St. Norbert College in spectacular fashion Sunday afternoon, posting a 2-1, come-from-behind home victory over Lawrence University.

After a scoreless first half, Lawrence broke open the scoring in the 48th minute when Stephen Exarhos scored on a free kick. But the Pioneers refused to fold and forced a 1-all tie in the 59th minute when Stephen Craig '11 (pictured) won a battle for the ball among a crowd in front of the net and punched it in. That was how things stayed until the 80th minute when the Pioneers were awarded a penalty kick. JP Prouty '10, who sent Saturday's game into overtime with a penalty kick in the late stages, delivered again Sunday for what proved to be the game-winning point.

Greg Fox '12 had a strong effort in the net for Grinnell, coming up with four saves. Grinnell outshot the visitors 17-10, with Andrew Walsh '09 and Mark Rosenberg '11 taking three apiece and Andrew Stephenson '10, Justin Koester '10 and Alex Exarhos '10 getting off two shots each.

"I was impressed with Lawrence and their plan of attack," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "They possess the ball well, defended in pairs and scored the first goal of the game. They made it difficult on us to change the momentum. Stephen Craig was huge and he gave us a spark with his hard-nosed play and a great, gritty goal. Justin Koester then put us on his back and carried us to victory in the last 15 minutes. That is what any good team needs … guys who are willing to spark everyone else. I'm very proud of those two players. We challenged ourselves in declaring this a must-win and the guys found a way. It is a sign of good things to come."

Grinnell is now 3-1-1 in the Midwest Conference and 8-4-1 overall, while the visitors fell to 4-2 in the league and 5-9 in all contests. The Pioneers take to the road next weekend with games at Ripon College and Carroll University on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Box Score

After sending the game beyond regulation in dramatic fashion, the Grinnell College men's soccer team suffered a heart-breaking home setback to St. Norbert College Saturday afternoon.

St. Norbert got a goal from Donny Baloun in the closing seconds of overtime to record the 2-1 victory and move to 4-1 in the Midwest Conference and 9-4 overall. Grinnell dipped to 2-1-1 in league play and 7-4-1 in all contests.

The game was scoreless in the opening half before John Cremer scored for St. Norbert in the 51st minute. That was how things remained until Grinnell's JP Prouty '10 (pictured) was awarded a penalty kick in the final minute of regulation and delivered perfectly with a goal to force overtime. It was Prouty's second goal of the season.

Ben Schemper '11 played the entire game at keeper for the Pioneers and had three saves. Grinnell held a 19-13 edge in shots for the game, with Mark Rosenberg '11 taking six of those and Parker Koester '09 and Andrew Walsh '09 taking three apiece.

"I can't think of anything cute to say and can't think of anything to ease the pain of losing to them," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "As difficult as it is, we must move on. We play in less than 24 hours against a good Lawrence team in a game that both teams need the three points. It's a tremendous opportunity for the guys on our team to show everyone that we do have pride and that we can win a big game."

The Pioneers remain at home Sunday to take on Lawrence University. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
Box Score

It will be a big weekend for the Grinnell College men's soccer team as the Pioneers host a pair of Midwest Conference foes, taking on St. Norbert College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Lawrence University at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Grinnell enters the weekend still unbeaten in the Midwest Conference at 2-0-1, with wins over Monmouth College and Illinois College and a tie with Beloit College. Grinnell, 7-3-1 overall, has been led offensively by Andrew Walsh '09 and Mark Rosenberg '11, who have five goals each. Andrew Stephenson '10 has three goals. Walsh also has three assists.

Keepers Greg Fox '12 and Ben Schemper '11 have been stellar, with Fox recording a 0.48 goals against average and .893 saves percentage while compiling a 5-1-0 record. Schemper has a 1.20 goals against average and .727 saves percentage with a 2-2-1 mark.

St. Norbert enters the weekend with a 3-1-0 mark in league play, with league wins against Lake Forest College, Beloit and Ripon College and a loss to Carroll College. St. Norbert, 8-4-0 overall, has been paced by a nine-goal performance by Adam Sanchez. Kevin Conrath and Eric Natwick have three goals each, while Ben Vanden Avond has contributed eight assists. Noah Davis and Joe Schwartz have combined keeper duties. Davis has a 0.87 goals against average and .833 saves percentage, while Schwartz has a 1.89 goals against average and .611 saves percentage.

Like St. Norbert, Lawrence also enters the weekend with a 3-1-0 mark. The Vikings have beaten Beloit, Ripon and Lake Forest in the conference and have fallen to Carroll. Lawrence, 4-8 in all games, has gotten three goals from Tristan Lipe. The team's primary keeper, Steven Schnorr, has a 1.79 goals against average and .790 saves percentage.

After the weekend, Grinnell takes to the road the following weekend with games at Ripon College on Oct. 18 and at Carroll College on Oct. 19.

After a scoreless first half, Gustavus Adolphus scored twice in the final 45 minutes to defeat Grinnell College by a 2-0 count in men's soccer action Sunday afternoon in St. Peter, Minn.

The winners, who improved to 8-2-1, got goals by Flynn StewartFranzen in the 48th minute and Ben Ikeda in the 80th minute.

Gustavus Adolphus outshot Grinnell 15-6. Andrew Stephenson '10 took four of Grinnell's shots, while Andrew Walsh '09 and Mark Rosenberg '11 took the others.

Greg Fox '12 worked a scoreless first half at keeper for the Pioneers, who fell to 7-3-1, and had a save. Ben Schemper '11 played the last 45 minutes and had two saves.

"We scheduled this non-conference game because Gustavus is a team that will test you in every facet of the game," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "Today we failed defending corner kicks on more than one occasion and it eventually cost us the game. Losing is never fun and today it doesn't feel any different, but I do feel we are getting closer to the team we want to be."

Grinnell has two home games next weekend, hosting St. Norbert College at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 11 and Lawrence University at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 12.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team played Beloit College to a 1-1 deadlock Saturday afternoon in Midwest Conference play on the Pioneers' field.

The first half was scoreless, as was a majority of the second, before Thomas Lancaster got Beloit on the board in the 60th minute. But Grinnell bounced back almost immediately, as Alex Exarhos '10 (pictured) found the back of the net in the 66th minute to force a 1-all tie. The unassisted goal was Exarhos' second score of the season.

Things remained scoreless through the rest of regulation, as well as a pair of 10-minute overtimes, to account for the final score. Ben Schemper '11 played the first half for Grinnell at keeper and had two saves, while Greg Fox '12 went the final 65 minutes and had three saves.

Grinnell outshot the visitors 21-12, with Mark Rosenberg '11 taking five of those shots, Exarhos four and Andrew Walsh '09 three. Matti Sahel '11 added two shots, as did JP Prouty '10. Grinnell is now 7-2-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the MWC, while Beloit moved to 4-4-2 in all games and 1-2-1 in the league.

Grinnell now heads to St. Peter, Minn., to face Gustavus Adolphus. Grinnell returns to the home field for MWC contests with St. Norbert College on Oct. 11 and Lawrence University on Oct. 12.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team will attempt to continue its strong play this weekend with a pair of contests, one at home and one on the road.

On Saturday the Pioneers entertain Beloit College in a Midwest Conference contest. Game time is 11 a.m.

Grinnell is 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the league after blanking Monmouth College and Illinois College by scores of 3-0 and 2-0, respectively, last weekend. Andrew Walsh '09 had three goals in the two games, while JP Prouty '10 and Mark Rosenberg '11 scored once each. Greg Fox '12 and Ben Schemper '11 each had shutouts while playing keeper.

For the season, Walsh and Rosenberg lead the team with five goals each. Andrew Stephenson '11 has three goals and two assists. Walsh has three assists, while Matti Sahel '11 has two. Fox has a 0.40 goals against average and .913 saves percentage while working 450 of the team's 810 minutes at keeper. Schemper has a 1.00 goals against average.

Beloit enters Saturday's game at 4-4-1 overall and 1-2 in the league, owning a MWC win over Ripon College and losses to Lawrence and St. Norbert. Silas Connelly has five goals for the Buccaneers, while Bo Wilkins has three and a trio of other players have two each. Keeper Nathan Lipps has a 1.40 goals against average and .794 saves percentage.

Grinnell heads to St. Peter, Minn., after the game with Beloit to face Gustavus Adolphus. The Gusties were 6-2-1 entering this weekend. Ben Eriksson has three goals to lead the team, while Chris Golv, Bret Vander Streek, Sylar Schulz and Ben Ikeda have two apiece. Keeper Luke Strom has a 1.10 goals against average and .632 saves percentage.

After the weekend contests, Grinnell returns to the home field for MWC contests with St. Norbert College on Oct. 11 and Lawrence University on Oct. 12.

Andrew Walsh '09 scored both goals as the Grinnell College men's soccer team shut out Illinois College 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Jacksonville, Ill.

Walsh's first score came in the 61st minute when he picked up a loose ball, dribbled it through the entire defense, got to the top of the box and banged it in. The second goal, off a corner kick in the 82nd minute, came when Matti Sahel '11 one-touched the ball to Walsh, who had another one-touch and scored. The goals were Walsh's fourth and fifth of the season, tying him for the team lead with Mark Rosenberg '11.

Grinnell outshot the hosts 17-13, with Walsh taking nine of those, Andrew Stephenson '10 taking three and Alex Exarhos '10 a pair. Ben Schemper '11 played all 90 minutes at keeper, recording four saves.

"Illinois College is definitely an improved team from a year ago, and we respected that coming into this game," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "Both teams came to play. Ben Schemper was fantastic in goal and made his presence felt throughout the game. He had a huge save in the second half when the score was tied 0-0 that was very critical. No question we have some good attacking players, and they play hard and together, and when they move the way they did today it's just a matter of time before they strike. Andrew Walsh wanted the ball in a big way today and it was his leadership that ultimately decided the game. He was fantastic."

The Pioneers, 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the Midwest Conference, entertain Beloit College Oct. 4. Game time is 11 a.m.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team opened Midwest Conference play on a stellar note Wednesday, knocking off Monmouth College by a 3-0 count on Monmouth's field.

The Pioneers shot out to a 1-0 lead right away in the first half when Andrew Walsh '09 scored on a header in the sixth minute with the assist from Andrew Stephenson '10. Stephenson got the ball wide, drove a cross into the box to Walsh, who beat his defender with the header. It was Walsh's third goal of the season and Stephenson's second assist.

The Pioneers made it 2-0 in the 49th minute on JP Prouty's '11 first goal of the season, which he tallied on a penalty kick. Grinnell completed the scoring in the 59th minute when Mark Rosenberg '11 scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season on an assist from Tommy Gerberding '10. Gerberding began the attack by winning a 50-50 ball and found Rosenberg for the shot.

Grinnell outshot the hosts 13-5, with Stephenson and Prouty taking three shots each and Walsh and Alex Exarhos '10 taking two apiece. Greg Fox '12 improved his record at keeper to 5-1 on the season while recording two saves.

Grinnell, 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the MWC, plays Illinois College Sunday in Jacksonville, Ill. Game time is noon. Monmouth dipped to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the league.

"The guys are pleased with their effort today," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "We knew it was important to jump on them early, and Walsh finished off a beautiful service from Stephenson to put us up 1-0 in the sixth minute. I think our pressure caught up with them and we were able to put the game on ice early in the second half. We feel good, but it's time to move on and focus our shift to Illinois College."
Box Score

Wartburg College slipped past Grinnell College 1-0 in men's soccer action Tuesday.

The score was zeroes until Kyle McKenna found the back of the net for the hosts in the 42nd minute, the only goal of the game. Grinnell had seven shots in the contest, with four coming from Mark Rosenberg '11. Greg Fox '12 and Ben Schemper '11 shared keeper duties for Grinnell. Fox had three saves.

"It's not in character for a team to get behind us the way they did today," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski of the Knights. "Their players finished well. Wartburg is disciplined on both sides of the ball so there were not an abundance of scoring opportunities. In defense of our own guys, I thought we created enough good chances to score only to be denied by the Wartburg goal keeper and defenders. Plain and simple, Wartburg did enough to win the game and we did not."

Grinnell, 4-2 on the season, entertains Simpson College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Box Score

For the second time in three weeks, Grinnell College keeper Greg Fox '12 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week.

Fox, from Leawood, Kan. (Bartstow School), improved his goal keeping record to 3-0 with a 2-0 victory over Central College and another win over Buena Vista. He played the entire game against Central and recorded seven saves. He also played a scoreless second half against Buena Vista. His effort has helped Grinnell to a 4-1 start. For the season, Fox has a miniscule 0.33 goals against average and .929 save percentage.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Marc Hieptas of Carroll University.

Make it 4-for-4 against Iowa Conference teams for the Grinnell College men's soccer squad.

The Pioneers beat their fourth foe from the Iowa Conference Saturday afternoon, disposing of Buena Vista by a 2-1 count in Grinnell. The game was tied 1-all at halftime, with Buena Vista opening the scoring when Zach Robertson found the back of the net in just the second minute. But Mark Rosenberg '11 (pictured) made sure the tie didn't stand for long, as he took a pass from Andrew Stephenson '10 and worked the ball past the keeper into the upper right side of the net to make it 1-all in the eighth minute. It was Rosenberg's team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Andrew Walsh '09 broke the tie in the 64th minute. He shot from near the right corner, some 25 yards from the net, and the ball hit the left post of the goal and bounced in. It was Walsh's second goal of the year. Grinnell outshot Buena Vista 24-8 for the game, with Rosenberg taking eight of those shots and Walsh four. Of the Pioneers' shots, 15 were on goal with four apiece from Stephenson and Rosenberg.

Ben Schemper '11 and Greg Fox '12 each played a half at keeper for the winners. Schemper had a save as the Pioneers improved to 4-1 on the season. Buena Vista dipped to 1-4.

Grinnell heads to Waverly on Tuesday to play yet another Iowa Conference team, Wartburg College. Game time is 6 p.m.
Box Score

Another big performance translated into another win over an Iowa Conference opponent for the Grinnell College men's soccer team Wednesday.

Andrew Stephenson '10 (left) recorded a pair of goals and Greg Fox '12 (right) turned in a shutout at keeper as the Pioneers defeated Central College 2-0 on Grinnell's field. The victory pushed Grinnell to 3-1 on the season as the Pioneers beat their third Iowa Conference foe of the season, while the Dutch dipped to 2-3.

The teams played to a scoreless halftime tie before Stephenson broke the deadlock in the 57th minute. Andrew Walsh '09 sent a pass from the right side of the net to the left and found Stephenson, who found the back of the goal for a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers then sealed the win in the final minute of play when Stephenson broke loose with the ball, beat a pair of Dutch down the field and scored an empty-net goal. Mark Rosenberg '11 was credited with the assist. Stephenson now has three goals on the season to tie Rosenberg for the team lead.

Fox turned in seven saves, including two huge ones in the final 10 minutes of the game to preserve the lead. He also had a key stop in the opening 45 minutes of play. Stephenson, Walsh, Rosenberg, Parker Koester '09 and JP Prouty '10 each had two shots for Grinnell.

"First of all, the reason why this is a very nice win for us is because the team and I have complete respect for (Central) coach Laidlaw and his team," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "They are talented, well-coached, honest and hard-working and if you are going to beat them you must earn it. The game could have gone either way, but in the end our guys just made a couple more plays than they did. I attribute this win to the outstanding leadership we have received this season. Everybody is working toward one goal and everyone is contributing."

Grinnell has another home test this Saturday when Buena Vista University visits for a 3 p.m. affair. The game will be preceded by a women's game at 1 p.m.
Box Score

For the second week in a row, a Grinnell College men's soccer player has earned Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week honors.

Alex Exarhos '10, a defensive midfielder from Richland, Wash. (Hanford High School), played a big role for the Pioneers last weekend in contests against two physical and talented attacking teams - the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and University of Dubuque. The Pioneers beat Dubuque 2-1 and got beat by the same score against UW-Platteville. Exarhos also has one goal on the season, scoring that in a season-opening win over Coe College.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Demba Camara of Ripon College.

A pair of first-half goals by Mark Rosenberg '11 propelled the Grinnell College men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory at the University of Dubuque Sunday afternoon.

Rosenberg found the back of the net in the 13th minute off an assist by Evan Wright '12 in which Rosenberg beat the goal keeper on a one-and-one opportunity, and then again in the 31st minute on Matti Sahel's '11 assist as Rosenberg won a scramble for the ball and put it in the net. The goals were the second and third of the season for Rosenberg. Dubuque got its goal in the 37th minute by Chadwick Newquist.

"It's nice to be able to turn around and be able to play after a tough road loss yesterday," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski, speaking of the Pioneers' 2-1 setback at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Saturday. "Today's game presented an opportunity to bounce back. And as far as I know there are three ways to bounce back, with a win, loss or tie. We talked about it last night as a team - how important it was for us to bounce back with a win - and our players delivered."

Dubuque outshot the visitors by a 10-8 count. Rosenberg had three shots for Grinnell, while Andrew Stephenson '10 and Stephen Craig '11 had two apiece.

Greg Fox '12, who was named the Midwest Conference's Defensive Performer of the Week last week, had a masterful performance as goal keeper. He recorded four saves in a 90-minute span. "We got another solid game from Greg Fox," said Jaworski. "Specifically, he had a big save with under 10 minutes to go that preserved the lead for us."

Grinnell, 2-1 on the season, entertains another Iowa Conference foe, Central College, at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Dubuque dipped to 1-2 on the season.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team suffered a hard-fought 2-1 setback to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in non-conference competition on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts grabbed a 1-0 halftime lead with a Ben Terpening goal in the 20th minute, but the Pioneers powered back to move into a 1-all tie with a goal just 30 seconds into the second half as Andrew Walsh '09 hit Andrew Stephenson '10 with a pass, and Stephenson then put the ball in from the left side. However, Tyrone Creech scored the eventual game-winner for the hosts in the 71st minute as they improved to 1-1-1 on the season. The Pioneers fell to 1-1 in the young 2008 campaign.

Ben Schemper '11 played the entire game at keeper for the Pioneers and recorded five saves. Wisconsin-Platteville outshot the Pioneers 15-11, with Stephenson getting off three of those shots - all on goal. Mark Rosenberg '11 also had three shots for Grinnell.

Grinnell stays on the road this weekend as it plays at the University of Dubuque Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. Grinnell returns home for a pair of contests after that, entertaining Central College at 5 p.m. on Sept. 10 and Buena Vista University at 3 p.m. Sept. 13.
Box Score

Greg Fox's career with the Grinnell College men's soccer team has just begun and already he has a big honor to his credit.

Fox '12 has been named the first Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week for the 2008 campaign after a stellar performance in the Pioneers' 5-1 home win over Coe College on Saturday. Fox, a keeper from Leawood, Kan., did not allow a goal and had two saves while playing the final 45 minutes of the game. He had a huge save on a Coe one-on-one opportunity that preserved a 3-1 Grinnell lead at the time.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Ben Vanden Avond of St. Norbert College.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team had a stellar season opener Saturday, posting a 5-1 home victory over non-conference foe Coe College.

Grinnell made a statement almost immediately, scoring in the sixth minute on an Alex Exarhos '10 (pictured) free kick that went over the keeper's hands and rattled off the cross bar before going into the net. But the Kohawks answered three minutes later as Vance Rudolph scored on a penalty kick to make it 1-all.

Mark Rosenberg '11 broke the tie in the 35th minute as he beat the keeper with a shot into the right side of the net for a 2-1 Pioneer lead. Enoch Commey '12 was credited with the assist. The Pioneers made it a 3-1 halftime cushion in the 40th minute when Matti Sahel '11 scored as he slipped past the keeper and found the back of the net.

The Pioneers tacked on two more goals in the second half. Andrew Walsh '09 began the half with a goal in the 55th minute after knocking in a rebound shot. In the 66th minute, Sean Odedina '09 sent a perfect pass right to left to Evan Wright '12, who delivered it home for a 5-1 lead. That score would hold up through the end.

Ben Schemper '11 and Greg Fox '12 each worked a half at goal for the winners, coming up with a pair of saves each. Grinnell outshot the visitors 18-9 after holding just an 8-6 halftime lead in that category. Exarhos and Rosenberg had five and four shots, respectively, for Grinnell.

The Pioneers play their annual alumni game at 3 p.m. Sunday before jumping back into regular-season action Sept. 6 and 7 with contests at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and University of Dubuque.
Box Score
See game photos at: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/566029908VoYzxP

The 2008 Grinnell College men's soccer team has been picked for another lofty finish in the Midwest Conference this season.

The Pioneers were tabbed to place third in preseason balloting by the league's coaches. Defending MWC Tournament champion Carroll was picked to win the title after collecting nine of a possible 10 first-place votes. Defending regular-season champ St. Norbert College was selected second and had the other top vote.

Rounding out the top five after Carroll, St. Nobert and Grinnell were Beloit and Lake Forest. Lawrence was picked to finish sixth, followed by Ripon, Monmouth, Knox and Illinois College.

Grinnell placed third in the conference last season with a 7-2 mark.
2008 MWC Men's Soccer Preseason Release

The Grinnell College men's soccer team is looking to play off last season's success as it prepares for the upcoming 2008 campaign.

The Pioneers compiled a 7-2 mark in league play, with the lone losses being one-goal setbacks to Carroll College and eventual champ St. Norbert College. Grinnell was in the hunt the entire way and was playing for a share of the league title in its final regular-season contest. In the postseason tourney, Grinnell entered as the No. 3 seed and lost a narrow 1-0 decision to eventual champ Carroll in the opening round.

Among the returnees for Grinnell are First-Team All-Midwest Conference selections forward Andrew Stephenson '10 and defender JP Prouty '10, plus Second-Team picks midfielder Alex Exarhos '10 and defender Andrew Mullins '11. Stephenson was a strong offensive force for the Pioneers, finishing second in the league in both goals (10) and points (22).

Forward Andrew Walsh '09, who was selected as a MWC Offensive Performer of the Week last season, was the team's second-leading goal-scorer (seven) and point-scorer (17) while also coming up with a team-high three assists. Prouty was third in scoring with eight points (three goals, two assists) and midfielder Mark Rosenberg '11 was also in the top five with six points (three goals) despite playing on only about half the team's games.

Ben Schemper '11 draws the task of replacing First-Team All-MWC goal keeper Sam Lancaster, who etched his name among the Pioneer all-time leaders in several categories. But Schemper got plenty of experience as Lancaster's backup in 2007, logging more than 330 minutes and allowing just three goals for a 0.81 goals against average and .875 save percentage.

Others returning who were contributors last season include midfielders Justin Koester '10, Thomas Gerberding '10, Parker Koester '09, Matti Sahel '11, and Stephen Craig '11; defenders Alex Kohut '10, and James Meinert '10, and forward Sean Odedina '09.

"One thing I really like about our team is that so many players, upperclassmen and first-year student-athletes that are joining our squad, are in a position to help the team," said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. "All of them understand that hard work pays off and our training sessions should be competitive and filled with great team spirit. And on the day of the match, we should have no problem finding guys who are ready to compete and get after it."

Jaworski's team will tune up for the Midwest Conference slate with a rugged non-conference schedule."The schedule is tough right from the opening match with Coe," he added. "That is how we wanted it. We play several regionally and nationally ranked teams and that is going to translate into exciting soccer. Every non-conference game presents an opportunity to play against a quality opponent and that should help us be battle-tested once conference play begins."

Jaworski is expecting an exciting battle for the league crown. "In the Midwest Conference, a lot of people like Carroll to win the title," he said. "But I think it's a wide-open race. Carroll is good, but we are, too. Plus, several schools in our conference had a solid recruiting year, so I think the championship won't be decided until the final day of the season."