The Grinnell College men's soccer team enjoyed a historic season in 2009, and that success has been reflected by the All-Midwest Conference selections.

Brian Jaworski (top, left) has been named MWC Coach of the Year, and Pioneers Alex Exarhos '10, JP Prouty '10 and Andrew Stephenson '10 have all been named to the All-MWC First Team in voting by the league's coaches.

Under Jaworski's guidance, Grinnell qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time in school history. The Pioneers advanced after claiming the MWC Tournament title with a pair of thrilling shootout wins over St. Norbert College and Beloit College.

Prouty (top, second from left), a defender from Stilwell, Kan., and Stephenson (top, second from right), a forward from Middleton, Wis., have been named to the All-MWC First Team three times in their careers while Exarhos (top, right), a defender/midfielder from Richland, Wash., is a two-time First-Team pick after being named to the Second Team twice.

Stephenson led the Pioneers and was third overall in goals scored this season with 12, and was fourth in the league in points with 24. Prouty and Exarhos helped anchor a Pioneer defense that gave up a measly 1.43 goals a game. Both also ranked second on the team in assists with three, while Prouty was third in goals with five. Exarhos had one goal.

Three Pioneers, forwards Justin Koester '10 (bottom, left) and Mark Rosenberg '11 (bottom, center) and defender Andrew Mullins '11 (bottom, right), were named to the MWC Second Team.

Koester, from Carmel, Ind., was second on the team in goals with nine while also collecting one assist and Rosenberg, from Oak Park, Ill., topped the team in assists with five while scoring three goals. Mullins, from Charlotte, N.C., is a three-time All-MWC selection after again helping spark the Pioneers' stifling defense. He was a Second-Teamer his first two seasons, as well.

The MWC Players of the Year both come from regular-season league champion Carroll University. They are Andy Prentice (Offensive) and Justin Ziegler (Defensive).
All-Conference Release

The Grinnell College men's soccer team lost a 2-0 decision to Macalester College in the NCAA Division III National Tournament Saturday night at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque.

Grinnell, playing in its first NCAA Tourney in program history, finishes its historic campaign with a 9-8-4 mark while 13-7-1 Macalester moves on to Sunday's matchup with host Loras College.

The first half was scoreless nearly the entire way before Carson Gorecki found the back of the net in the 40th minute to give Macalester a 1-0 halftime lead. Gorecki scored again in the 72nd minute to complete the scoring.

Grinnell won the shots battle 13-11, with Justin Koester '10 taking four shots, Alex Exarhos '10 shooting three and Andrew Stephenson '10 and Mark Rosenberg '11 recording two each. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 had three saves.
Box Score

Grinnell enters the contest at 9-7-4, having advanced to its first NCAA Tournament with a pair of thrilling shootout wins over St. Norbert College and Beloit College in the Midwest Conference Championships.

The Pioneers have already played Macalester this season, falling 3-2 at Springer Field on Sept. 26. Mark Rosenberg '11 scored for Grinnell to give the hosts a 1-0 lead, but Stephen Murphy-Logue responded with a goal to tie the contest at 1-all at halftime.

The second half was scoreless most of the way until Jeremy Carp scored in the 77th minute and Murphy-Logue added a goal in the 87th minute for a 3-1 Macalester lead. Justin Koester '10 closed the gap for Grinnell with a goal in the 88th minute.

For the season, Andrew Stephenson '10 leads Grinnell with 12 goals while Koester has nine and JP Prouty '10 five. Rosenberg leads the team in assists with five, while Alex Exarhos '10 and Prouty have three each.

Keeper Ben Schemper '11 owns a 1.35 goals against average and .800 save percentage. He has a 7-6-4 record.

Macalester comes into the game with a 12-7-1 record and won the MIAC title with a 1-0 victory over Carleton. Taylor Rasmussen has six goals on the year for the Scots, while Carson Gorecki and Murphy-Logue have five apiece. Jesse Geary leads the team in assists with four.

The team has played two keepers, with Mark Mullaney owning a 1.23 goals against average and .750 save percentage while going 5-5-1 and Matt Weyer having a 0.86 goals against average and .830 save percentage with a 7-2 record.

The Grinnell-Macalester winner will meet either host Loras College or Webster University at 6 p.m. Sunday in Dubuque. Loras and Webster play at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team will play Macalester College in the opening round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament Saturday at Loras College in Dubuque.

The host Duhawks will play Webster University of Missouri in the other first-round contest at the Rock Bowl, starting at 5 p.m., with the Grinnell-Macalester contest slated for 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. The first-round winners will meet at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Grinnell, 9-7-4 and making its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tourney, has already played 12-7-1 Macalester this season. The Scots, the MIAC champs, posted a 3-2 victory Sept. 26 in Grinnell.

Grinnell earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament after winning the Midwest Conference Championships on Saturday with a shootout victory over Beloit College. The dramatic win came after Grinnell fell behind 2-0 in the first six-plus minutes of the game before Mark Rosenberg '11 scored twice to force overtime and the subsequent shootout, which the Pioneers won 3-2.

Grinnell had advanced to the MWC title clash after beating regionally-ranked St. Norbert College in a shootout a day earlier.

Loras brings an 18-2-1 record into the NCAA Tournament and Webster owns a 10-6-1 mark. Loras is ranked first in the NCAA's North Region and third nationally, while Macalester is fifth in the region.
Full Bracket

The Grinnell College men's soccer team made history Saturday by qualifying for its first NCAA Division III National Tournament with a shootout victory over Beloit College in the Midwest Conference Championship game.

The win was even more impressive since Grinnell had fallen behind 2-0 in the first six-plus minutes. But the Pioneers rallied with the efforts of Mark Rosenberg '11 (left), who scored in the 32nd minute to make it a 2-1 game at halftime and then added a goal in the 78th minute on an assist by Matti Sahel '11 to make it 2-all.

That led to overtime, and then another extra period, with no scoring that forced a shootout.

The shootout began with Ben Schemper '11 turning away a shot by Beloit's Bo Wilkins, after which Rosenberg found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Both teams missed their next tries before Beloit scored to tie the shootout at 1-all. After Grinnell and Beloit followed with misses, Sahel scored to make it a 2-1 lead. Silas Connelly then scored for Beloit, but Stephen Craig '11 (right) answered with a goal to secure the win and ensuing NCAA Tournament bid.

Schemper had eight saves in the game, while Grinnell had 13 shots including four each by Andrew Stephenson '10 and Justin Koester '10, three by Rosenberg and one each by Sahel and Charlie Kessner '12.

Grinnell is now 9-7-4, while Beloit finishes at 10-3-6. The NCAA Tournament qualifier list will come out Sunday, and the pairings will be released Monday morning.
Box Score

What's already been a 2009 season filled with dramatic performances has been extended by yet another incredible finish for the Grinnell College men's soccer team.

The Pioneers advanced to the Midwest Conference Tournament championship game for the second time in as many years Friday afternoon with a nail-biting shootout victory over St. Norbert College, ranked eighth in the North Region, at Waukesha, Wis. Grinnell won the shootout by a 7-6 margin after the teams were tied 0-0 through the second overtime.

The second-seeded Pioneers, who are 9-7-3, will meet fourth-seeded Beloit College at 4 p.m. Saturday in the title contest. Beloit also advanced with a shootout win, upsetting top-seeded and nationally-ranked Carroll University. St. Norbert is now 11-5-2.

The Grinnell-St. Norbert contest was scoreless through regulation and two overtimes. Both teams scored six consecutive times in the shootout before Alex Kohut '10 (left) delivered what proved to be the game-winner for Grinnell. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 (right) then sealed the deal when he stopped a shot by Greg Schmidt, sending the Pioneers into celebration and the championship game.

Mark Rosenberg '11 opened the shootout scoring for Grinnell, and his teammates followed suit as goals were recorded by Justin Koester '10, JP Prouty '10, Matti Sahel '11, Stephen Craig '11 and Andrew Stephenson '10.

Schemper recorded five saves in the contest while posting his fourth shutout of the 2009 campaign. Grinnell had seven shots in the game, two by Koester and one apiece from Stephenson, Rosenberg, Kohut, Alex Exarhos '10 and "Pun" Winichakul '13.

If Grinnell beats the Buccaneers on Saturday, it will mark the Pioneers' first MWC Tournament title since 1994. The ensuing NCAA Division III Tournament bid would be the first in Grinnell history.

During the regular season, Grinnell and Beloit played to a 2-all tie.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team will play in the Midwest Conference Championships for the fourth year in a row this weekend at Waukesha, Wis.

Grinnell earned the second seed and will play third-seeded St. Norbert College at 1 p.m. Friday. Carroll University, the top seed and host, meets fourth-seeded Beloit College at 10 a.m. The winners meet at 4 p.m. Saturday for the title and automatic NCAA Division III Tournament berth that goes with it.

Grinnell enters the tournament after going 6-1-2 in league play and 9-7-2 overall, while St. Norbert finished 6-2-1 in the conference and 11-5-1 overall.

In their only meeting this year on Oct. 11, Grinnell emerged from a 1-all halftime tie to beat the Green Knights 3-1 on the latter's field. Goals in that game for Grinnell came from Tashi Langton '10, JP Prouty '10 and Andrew Stephenson '10. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 had three saves.

For the season, Stephenson leads the Pioneers in goals scored with 12 while Justin Koester '10 has nine and Prouty five. Mark Rosenberg '11 leads the team in assists with five, and Schemper has a 1.43 goals against average and .790 save percentage.

Ben Vanden Avond leads St. Norbert with 11 goals, while Adam Sanchez and Kevin Conrath have four each. Vanden Avond also has seven assists. Keeper Joe Schwartz has played the most minutes at keeper and has a 1.49 goals against average and .635 save percentage.
MWC Championships Preview
Watch game on MWC TV

The Grinnell College men's soccer team did it up right on Senior Day Saturday, as the Pioneers erupted for two goals in the first eight minutes en route to a 7-0 win over Knox College Saturday at Springer Field.

The goal total is the highest since Grinnell scored seven against Knox in 2000, and the goal differential is the largest since 1988 in a win over Ripon College. The victory puts Grinnell at 6-1-2 in the Midwest Conference and 9-7-2 overall entering next weekend's MWC Championships at Carroll University. Knox fell to 0-9 in the MWC and 3-15 overall.

Grinnell got two goals from Andrew Stephenson '10 and a pair from Charlie Kessner '12. Stephenson (left) opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest on an assist by Tommy Gerberding '10 (right), Gerberding recorded another assist just six minutes later when Justin Koester '10 found the back of the net.

The score remained 2-0 at halftime when Stephen Craig '11 scored in the 50th minute on Koester's assist, and Stephenson recorded his second goal of the contest in the 52nd minute on an assist by Alex Exarhos '10.

The Pioneers continued to roll, as JP Prouty '10 scored in the 63rd minute before Kessner finished things off with goals in the 77th and 88th minutes on assists by Hamish Nieh '10 and Reed Caron '13, respectively.

Grinnell fired off 40 shots during the contest, with Stephenson recording seven of those, Koester and Matti Sahel '11 five each, Kessner four and Mark Rosenberg '11 and Caron three apiece. Three keepers played for Grinnell, with Ben Schemper '11 getting the victory after turning away four shots in the first 62 minutes.

The Pioneers have earned the second seed in the MWC Championships and will play third-seeded St. Norbert College in the first round on Friday in Waukesha, Wis.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team has made a trend of coming up with dramatic performances in recent contests, and Wednesday afternoon's home game against the No. 10 team in the North Region was certainly no exception.

Grinnell scored twice in a 37-second span in the waning seconds to force overtime against Wartburg College before the visitors pulled out a 4-3 victory with the aid of a penalty kick at Springer Field.

Wartburg held what appeared to be a comfortable lead as the clock ticked under two minutes in regulation before Andrew Stephenson '10 (left) cut the gap in half on an assist by JP Prouty '10 at the 88:22 mark. Prouty threw the ball in from the right side on the play and Stephenson flicked a header far post that hit the post and went into the net for his team-high 10th goal of the year.

Just a short time later, at the 88:59 mark to be exact, Alex Exarhos '10 (right) tied the game with a goal. He got the ball about 30 yards out, cut to the side of a defender and delivered a rocket into the upper left-hand corner of the net. It was the first goal of the year for Exarhos.

That sent the game into overtime, which Wartburg won at the 94:39 mark on Geoff Miller's penalty kick.

Miller also scored the first goal of the game in the 23rd minute, but Justin Koester '10 tied the contest at 1-all in the 34th minute. A Wartburg player began the play by sending a pass to his own keeper, but Koester intercepted, worked past the keeper and sent the ball into the open net. Koester now has eight scores on the year.

The game was tied 1-all at halftime before Wartburg went up 3-1 with goals by Brandon Cook and Nate Hedrington. The teams tied in shots at 16-all, with Koester and Exarhos taking four apiece for Grinnell and Stephenson and Prouty getting two each.

Keeper Ben Schemper '11 worked the whole game for the Pioneers and had six saves. Grinnell, 8-2-2 overall, closes out the regular season Saturday when Knox College visits for a 1:30 p.m. game. The next week, Grinnell will participate in the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament at Carroll University. Wartburg improved to 12-4-1.
Box Score

In the previous win by Grinnell College's men's soccer team, a combination of three goal keepers helped the Pioneers to an incredible come-from-behind victory over Ripon College.

On Saturday at Lake Forest College, it was a fourth keeper who up until last week was a student-manager that helped propel the Pioneers to a 3-1 victory and sent them to the Midwest Conference Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

Nate Hoch '11 (left), playing his first-ever collegiate soccer contest, made seven saves and Justin Koester '10 (right) scored two goals as Grinnell improved to 5-1-2 in the Midwest Conference and 8-6-2 overall. Hoch was playing after the Pioneers' typical starter Ben Schemper '11 was out of commission due to a red card against Ripon and the backup, Greg Fox '12, was out due to a nagging injury that forced him out of the Ripon contest. "Nate was playing his first college game and controlled the box while making some great saves," said Grinnell assistant coach Andrew Walsh '09. "It was an excellent performance."

Grinnell was able to get its offense going despite sloppy playing conditions due to recent heavy rains. The Pioneers opened the scoring on a goal by Andrew Stephenson '10 in the 40th minute. Mark Rosenberg '11 began the play when he crossed the ball inside the box. Charlie Kessner '12 had a quick touch and sent the ball to Stephenson, who hit in a left-footed rocket from left to right into the net to make it 1-0 at halftime.

Grinnell made it 2-0 on the first of Koester's goals. Rosenberg sent the ball to Koester, who made a great diagonal run toward the net and beat the keeper on a one-on-one situation for a 2-0 lead in the 64th minute. Lake Forest then made things interesting, scoring in the 67th minute to cut the Pioneers' lead in half.

But Grinnell all but put the game away in the 80th minute on Koester's second goal. On the play, Alex Exarhos '10 delivered a pass to Koester about 30 yards from the net. Koester then unleashed a rocket into the upper-left corner of the net past the diving keeper.

Grinnell had seven shots in the game, with Koester taking three and Rosenberg two. Lake Forest, 2-3-1 in the MWC and 5-9-1 overall, got its goal from Jacob Heaps. The Pioneers finish out the regular season with two home games, taking on non-conference foe Wartburg College at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Springer Field and entertaining Knox College at 1:30 p.m. next Saturday.
Box Score

The stage is set as the Grinnell College men's soccer team attempts to qualify for its fourth Midwest Conference Tournament in a row.

A win at Lake Forest College on Saturday would allow the Pioneers to accomplish the feat. Game time is 10 a.m. The Pioneers enter the game at 4-1-2 in the MWC and 7-6-2 overall, while Lake Forest is 2-2-1 in the league and 5-7-1 in all contests.

Andrew Stephenson '10, winner of the last two MWC Offensive Performer of the Week awards, leads Grinnell in goals with eight. That ranks third in the conference. Justin Koester '10 has five goals, which ranks seventh, and JP Prouty '10 four. Mark Rosenberg '11 is tops on the team in assists with four, while Prouty has two. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 has a 1.32 goals against average, third-best in the conference, and .802 save percentage.

Nelson Dorvlo leads Lake Forest in goals with four, while Chris Haught-Thompson has two. Haught-Thompson and Kahiye Hassan are tops on the team with three assists, while keeper Tom Biesiada is second in the league in goals against average at 1.15.

Grinnell plays its final two regular-season games at home, entertaining non-conference foe Wartburg College at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Springer Field and Knox College at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Wartburg is ranked 10th in the North Region.

Two players who had significant roles in Grinnell College's amazing 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Ripon College on Sunday have swept Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Performer of the Week honors.

Andrew Stephenson '10 (left), a 5-foot-11 forward from Middleton, Wis. (Middleton HS), won the Offensive Performer of the Week award for the second consecutive week and Greg Fox '12 (right), a 6-1 goal keeper from Leawood, Kan. (Barstow School), claimed Defensive Performer of the Week honors.

The Pioneers, playing most of the Ripon contest a man short due to a red card, fell behind 2-0 and were then forced to rally while going into a fierce wind in the second half. Stephenson got Grinnell on the right track, though, finding the back of the net in the 67th minute to cut the Pioneers' deficit in half. Grinnell added two more goals to secure the win. Stephenson now has a team-high eight goals on the season.

Fox entered the contest in the 16th minute when the Pioneers' starting keeper exited due to the red card. He immediately turned away a penalty shot and made 11 saves overall while helping Grinnell rally for the win. Fox was also named MWC Defensive Performer of the Week twice last year.

While most comebacks are impressive, the Grinnell College men's soccer team had one for the ages Sunday afternoon against Ripon College.

Playing a man short nearly the entire contest due to a red card, turning away a penalty kick after the red card with the backup keeper, and digging itself into a 2-0 hole after that, the Pioneers put together an incredible rally while facing a fierce wind in the second half to defeat the visitors 3-2 at Springer Field.

The game was scoreless when Grinnell's keeper exited with a red card in the 16th minute. Greg Fox '12 came in and blocked the ensuing penalty kick that would have put Ripon on the board. The Red Hawks did manage a goal in the 36th minute for a 1-0 halftime lead, and then scored again in the 60th minute for a 2-0 edge.

But right when things looked bad for the Pioneers, the tide began to change starting with a goal from Andrew Stephenson '10 (upper left) in the 67th minute. He took a great ball from Alex Kohut '10, got it inside the six, dribbled around the keeper and sent it into the net.

Just 10 minutes later, Grinnell tied the contest thanks to JP Prouty '10 (upper right). Prouty earned a penalty kick and drilled the ball into the left side of the net past the outstretched arms of Ripon's keeper.

A short time later, Fox (lower left) had to leave the game with a nagging injury after recording 11 saves. Daryl Brost '12 came in and finished off the victory. That win was secured by Matti Sahel '11 (lower right), who took a pass and delivered a rocket off the crossbar. The ball bounced back, Sahel stuck with the play and then punched the ball into the net for the eventual game-winner with less than two minutes remaining.

"It was the most remarkable comeback I've ever been a part of," said Grinnell assistant coach Andrew Walsh. "To see our guys come together as a team, dig deep and get the victory under circumstances like these was truly amazing."

Grinnell managed 18 shots in the game, with Stephenson, Sahel and Reed Caron '13 taking three apiece and Justin Koester '10, Mark Rosenberg '11 and Prouty a pair each.

With the win, Grinnell improved to 4-1-2 in the Midwest Conference and 7-6-2 overall, while Ripon dipped to 3-5 in league play and 4-10-1 overall. Grinnell plays again next Saturday at Lake Forest College. Game time is 10 a.m.
Box Score

Nearly a week after upending one regionally-ranked team, the Grinnell College men's soccer team nearly did it again Saturday.

The Pioneers battled Carroll University, rated fourth in the North Region, toe-to-toe and used a late goal to force overtime before falling 2-1 in Midwest Conference action at Springer Field.

With the win, Carroll remained unbeaten in the league at 6-0 while going to 11-1-2 overall. Grinnell is now 3-1-2 in MWC action and 6-6-2 in all contests.

A defensive battle, the teams were scoreless at halftime and through a good part of the second half before Carroll's Andy Prentice scored in the 79th minute on Cam Schubert's assist. But the Pioneers showed nerves of steel and that paid off as time was ticking away. In the 86th minute, Mark Rosenberg '11 (right) delivered a beautiful corner kick from the right side. JP Prouty '10 (left) moved in, worked past a defender and headed the ball into the right side of the net to tie the contest. It was Prouty's third goal of the season.

The game remained 1-1 through regulation, but Andy Ksobiech of Carroll ended it when he delivered a goal in the 92nd minute. It was assisted by Steve Koprowski.

The shots battle was nearly even, with Carroll winning 15-11. Rosenberg and Prouty each had three shots for Grinnell, while Andrew Stephenson '10 and Stephen Craig '11 added two apiece.

Grinnell will be back in action again Sunday when Ripon College visits for a 1:30 p.m. affair.
Box Score

Andrew Stephenson '10, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward from Grinnell College (Middleton, Wis./Middleton HS), has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

Stephenson scored three goals over the past week as the Pioneers defeated St. Norbert College, ranked eighth in the North Region, and Monmouth College as well as tying Lawrence University. He currently leads the Pioneers with seven goals

The MWC Defensive Performer of the Week is Scott Pease of Carroll University.
Men's Soccer Release

It was a huge contest, and the Grinnell College men's soccer team delivered.

The Pioneers scored twice in the second half on their way to a 3-1 victory over rival St. Norbert College, ranked eighth in the North Region, on Sunday afternoon in De Pere, Wis. The win kept Grinnell unbeaten in Midwest Conference play at 3-0-2 while improving to 6-5-2 overall, while the hosts dipped to 3-2 in the league and 8-4 overall.

Grinnell opened the scoring in the 40th minute of play when Tashi Langton '10 (pictured) scored a beautiful goal, fnding the back of the net on an assist from Bozo Susac '12. Susac got the ball in the right corner, sent in a great cross and Langton rose up in the air, well over his defender, and headed the ball into the upper corner of the net. St. Norbert tied the score less than a minute later to make it 1-all at halftime.

But Grinnell finished things off in the second half, all within a three-minute span. JP Prouty '10 scored his second goal of the season on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute and Andrew Stephenson '10 scored in the 55th minute on an assist by Evan Wright '12. It was Stephenson's team-high seventh goal.

Prouty's shot was the result of a hand ball by St. Norbert, and he stepped up and smashed it into the left side of the goal. On Stephenson's goal, he took a long ball from Wright, worked a one-on-one with the keeper and sent the ball on the ground into the corner for the goal.

Grinnell keeper Ben Schemper '11 had a big game, coming up with three saves. The Pioneers managed seven shots in the contest, with Stephenson and Mark Rosenberg '11 coming up with two apiece.

Grinnell has a big slate coming up this coming weekend, hosting league leader Carroll University at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and entertaining Ripon College at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team rallied to record a 1-1 tie against Lawrence University in Midwest Conference action Saturday afternoon at Appleton, Wis.

The hosts opened the scoring in the first half on a goal by Jared Padway in the 43rd minute. But the Pioneers responded in the second half as Andrew Stephenson '10 (left) scored his team-high sixth goal of the season in the 68th minute on an assist from Alex Exarhos '10 (right), his first of the campaign.

The teams continued to battle to a 1-1 tie to the end of regulation, and two ensuing overtimes saw no more scoring as the teams finished in a deadlock. Grinnell is now 2-0-2 in MWC play and 5-5-2 in all contests, while Lawrence moved to 0-2-3 in the MWC and 2-6-4 overall.

Grinnell more than doubled Lawrence's shot attempts, winning that battle 25-11. Mark Rosenberg '11 had seven shots for the Pioneers, Justin Koester '10 took five and Tommy Gerberding '10, JP Prouty '10 and Stephenson had three apiece. Matt Sahel '11 had two shots. Pioneer keeper Ben Schemper '11 recorded four saves in the contest.

Grinnell is back in action Sunday with another MWC contest against St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis. Action is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team broke out to a 1-0 halftime lead and added an insurance goal in the second half to blank Monmouth College 2-0 Saturday afternoon at Springer Field.

With the win, the Pioneers remained unbeaten in Midwest Conference play at 2-0-1 while moving to 5-5-1 overall. Monmouth dipped to 1-1 in the league and 2-6 in all contests.

Both players who scored for Grinnell in Friday's 2-2 tie with Beloit, Andrew Stephenson '10 and Justin Koester '10, were again responsible for the scoring Saturday. Mark Rosenberg '11 (left) assisted both goals.

Stephenson opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Rosenberg came in from the right side and had a one-on-one with the goal keeper. His shot was deflected, the ball sailed up and over and Stephenson was there to finish it off.

Koester added a goal in the 53rd minute. The play began with a corner kick that was knocked back out. Rosenberg sent the ball back in, Koester received the cross and took the shot, which deflected off the post and into the net. Both Stephenson and Koester have five goals on the season, while Rosenberg has three assists.

Ben Schemper '11 (right) had the shutout at keeper for Grinnell, coming up with four saves in the process. Grinnell won the shots battle 22-8, with Stephenson and Rosenberg taking six each, Koester recording four and Alex Exarhos '10 two.

The Pioneers have a week off before playing Lawrence University at Appleton, Wis., next Saturday. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team twice fought back on its way to earning a 2-2 tie at Beloit College on a rainy and cold Friday in Midwest Conference play.

Beloit led 1-0 at halftime, with Brian Maunze scoring the goal, but Grinnell bounced back in the second half as Justin Koester '10 (left) scored in the 51st minute. On the play, Andrew Mullins '11 began things with a cross. As the Beloit keeper came out to get the ball, Andrew Stephenson '10 challenged and headed the ball away, which Koester eventually worked into the net.

Beloit responded in the 65th minute on Marc Robinson's goal, but Stephenson (right) added a score in the 79th minute as he got the ball near the box, cut outside, beat his man and sent a low shot to the far post for the game-tying goal.

Neither team scored in the overtimes to account for the final score. Ben Schemper '11 played the entire time at goal for Grinnell, coming up with 11 saves. Beloit won the shots battle 24-20. Stephenson, Koester and Alex Exarhos '10 each had four shots for Grinnell, while Mark Rosenberg '11 and JP Prouty '10 came up with two apiece.

Grinnell is now 1-0-1 in the league and 4-5-1 overall, while Beloit is 4-2-3 in all games and 1-1-2 in the MWC.

Grinnell continues Midwest Conference play at home Saturday when it hosts Monmouth College. Game time at Springer Field is 1:30 p.m.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville got off to a 2-0 first-half lead and made it hold in a 2-0 victory over Grinnell College in non-conference men's soccer action Sunday afternoon at Springer Field.

Despite the outcome, Grinnell was nearly even with UW-Platteville in shots, as the visitors held a 17-16 edge. Mark Rosenberg '11 had five shots for Grinnell, while Kanatip "Pun" Winichakul '13 and Justin Koester '10 had two apiece.

B.J. Gottschlich scored in the 13th minute for the winners, while Mitch Cornelius added a goal in the 38th minute. Grinnell keeper Ben Schemper '11 recorded nine saves during the contest and Kris Bosshart had one for the visitors.

With the win, UW-Platteville is 5-4-1 while Grinnell moved to 4-5. Grinnell returns to Midwest Conference play next weekend, playing at Beloit College at 4 p.m. Friday and entertaining Monmouth College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team gave highly-touted Macalester College a good battle on Saturday, but in the end the visitors came away with a 3-2 victory at Springer Field.

Grinnell opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Mark Rosenberg '11 (left) recorded a goal. On the play, he stole the ball, had a bit of a break-away and then rifled in a low shot that snuck in by the far post right beyond the keeper's outstretched hands.

However, Macalester tied the score in the 40th minute when Stephen Murphy-Logue scored on a penalty kick. The score remained 1-1 until Macalester struck for goals in the 77th and 87th minutes, the first by Jeremy Carp and the other by Murphy-Logue.

Grinnell kept things interesting, though, attacking hard in the final minutes before Justin Koester '10 (right) scored in the 88th minute. That play began when Rosenberg came in from the right side and fired the ball at the keeper, who deflected it only to have Koester there to boot the ball into the net.

Macalester outshot Grinnell 21-12. Three Pioneers, Koester, Rosenberg and Reed Caron '13 all had two shots. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 had five saves in the contest. Macalester improved to 5-3-1 with the win, while Grinnell moved to 4-4.

Grinnell has another tough test Sunday when the University of Wisconsin-Platteville visits Springer Field for a 1:30 p.m. game.
Box Score

Justin Koester '10, a midfielder from Grinnell College (Carmel, Ind./Westfield), has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

Koester scored two goals over the past week, tallying in wins over Simpson College and Illinois College as Grinnell improved to 4-3. His goal in the win over Illinois College came in the 79th minute, securing a 2-1 come-from-behind victory for the Pioneers.

The MWC Defensive Performer of the Week is Tom Biesiada of Lake Forest College.
Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Release

A strong late surge helped the Grinnell College men's soccer team open Midwest Conference play with a 2-1 victory over Illinois College Saturday at Springer Field.

The visitors actually struck first, scoring in the second minute of the contest. After stringing four or five passes together on the right side of the field, Travis Wilson sent a ball across the top of the box where Brian O'Connor ripped a shot into the upper left corner of the net.

The score remained 1-0 at halftime, but the Pioneers continued to apply pressure and in the 60th minute Andrew Stephenson '10 nearly equalized the score before his point-blank shot was turned away. Nine minutes later, Stephenson (left) struck again after stealing a ball from an Illinois College defender. Upon gaining possession, he found a tiny space on the near post to tie the contest at 1-all. Kanatip Winichakul '13 had the assist.

As the Pioneers continued to apply even more pressure, Justin Koester '10 hit a rocket from 25 yards out that ricocheted off the far post. However, Koester (right) was not to be denied as he received the ball with his back to the goal, was able to turn of his defender and ripped a shot into the upper-right portion of the net in the 79th minute for what proved to be the game-winner.

Grinnell dominated play, outshooting the visitors by a 26-6 margin including 11-3 edge in shots on goal. Stephenson had six of Grinnell's shots, Koester five and Tommy Gerberding '10 and Mark Rosenberg '11 three apiece.

Keeper Ben Schemper '11 had another solid effort, coming up with two saves while earning the win.

Grinnell improved to 4-3 overall, while Illinois College fell to 0-5-1 overall and 0-1 in the league. The Pioneers have a pair of home contests next weekend, playing Macalester on Saturday and Wisconsin-Platteville on Sunday.
Box Score

Andrew Stephenson '10 (pictured) came up with a huge effort, scoring a pair of goals as the Grinnell College men's soccer team knocked off Simpson College of the Iowa Conference by a 3-2 score Thursday night in Indianola.

Simpson actually opened the scoring in the 16th minute on a goal by Jim Frissell, but Grinnell struck back quickly as Stephenson tallied his first goal of the year in the 23rd minute that tied the contest. On the play, Grinnell worked the ball up the right side of the field where Justin Koester '10 found Mark Rosenberg '11. Rosenberg had a one-on-one with the goal keeper and took a shot from the right side of the box. The keeper got the save, but Stephenson was there to clean up the rebound and record the goal.

The score remained 1-1 at halftime, but Stephenson quickly broke the deadlock when he tallied another goal in the 47th minute on assists from Rosenberg and JP Prouty '10. The play began on a throw-in deep in Simpson territory, where Prouty launched a missile toward the six-yard line where Stephenson beat his man to the ball and slipped the ball in near the post.

Simpson tied things at 2-all in the 76th minute on a goal by Connor Skultety, but it took less than a minute for Grinnell to score what proved the game-winner when Koester ripped a laser past the out-stretched arms of Simpson's keeper. Koester's goal, his first of the year, was assisted by Prouty.

The teams each took 14 shots, with Stephenson having six of those for Grinnell and Koester, Reed Caron '13 and Kanatip Winichakul '13 tallying two apiece.

Ben Schemper was in goal for the Pioneers, coming up with four saves. Grinnell, 3-3 overall, opens Midwest Conference play on Saturday when Illinois College visits for a 1:30 p.m. contest at Springer Field. Simpson dipped to 2-2-2.

Ben Schemper '11, a goal keeper from Grinnell College (Oak Park, Ill./Timothy Christian), has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week.

Schemper recorded two shutouts during the week in Grinnell's 1-0 victories over Coe College and Augustana College. He had 10 saves against Coe and turned away seven shots in the win over Augustana.

For the season, Schemper has a 1.00 goals against average and .852 saves percentage. He has a 2-2 record.

The MWC Offensive Performer of the Week is Paul Senner of Lawrence University.

Grinnell College's men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to host University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at the 23rd Annual Valley Cup Invitational on Sunday.

The Pioneers held the hosts scoreless in the first half before they tallied a pair of scores in the second stanza. UW-Oshkosh outshot Grinnell 17-2, with Grinnell's shots coming from Andrew Stephenson '10 and Justin Koester '10.

Pioneer keeper Ben Schemper '11 recorded three saves in the contest. Kyle Wallin and Tim Stadler scored goals for UW-Oshkosh, which improved to 4-0-1 while winning the Invitational title.

Grinnell, 2-3 on the season, travels to Indianola on Thursday to take on Simpson College of the Iowa Conference. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Grinnell College men's soccer team saved its best for last against Augustana College at the 23rd Annual Valley Cup Invite hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Saturday.

JP Prouty '10 (pictured) found the back of the net in the 85th minute to boost the Pioneers over Augustana by a 1-0 score. Stephen Craig '11 began the scoring sequence with a nice throw-in. Prouty had the ball on the right wing, pushed it up a bit, sent the ball into the box and caught Augustana's keeper off guard. The goal was his first of the season.

Ben Schemper '11 had another impressive outing at keeper while earning the shutout win. He recorded seven saves as Grinnell evened its mark at 2-2 on the season. Augustana, also 2-2, outshot Grinnell 15-7.

Justin Koester '10 had two of the Pioneers' shots, while those coming up with one each besides Prouty were Andrew Stephenson '10, Alex Exarhos '10, Charlie Kessner '12 and Bozo Susac '12.

Grinnell finishes off the Valley Cup with a contest against the host school Sunday at 3 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team was anxious for a victory Wednesday at Coe College, and a quick score early in the second half delivered that wish.

Tommy Gerberding '10 (left) scored not quite 40 seconds into the second half and Ben Schemper '11 (right) recorded a shutout at keeper as the Pioneers blanked Coe College 1-0 to improve to 1-2 on the season. Coe dipped to 1-3.

After a scoreless first half, Grinnell forced a turnover around midfield in the opening seconds of the second half. Andrew Stephenson '10 got the ball on a one-and-one opportunity with Coe's keeper, but the keeper made a great save. However, Gerberding was following the play and knocked in the rebound from the right side for what proved to be the game-winner.

Gerberding had three of Grinnell's seven shots, while Stephenson and Justin Koester '10 had two apiece. Schemper was flawless in front of the net, coming up with 10 saves on the day.

Grinnell travels to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh this weekend for the Wisconsin-Oshkosh Cup. The Pioneers meet Augustana at 12:20 p.m. Saturday and play the hosts at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Box Score

The University of Dubuque scored twice in the first half and then held on to defeat Grinnell College's men's soccer team by a 2-0 count Saturday afternoon at Springer Field.

The Pioneers got off nine shots in the contest, including three by Justin Koester '10 and two by Mark Rosenberg '11. Taking one apiece were Andrew Stephenson '10, Matti Sahel '11, Alex Exarhos '10 and Kanatip Winichakul '13. Keeper Ben Schemper '11 recorded three saves for the hosts.

Scoring for the University of Dubuque were Anthony Marshall and Idrissa Soumaoro. The Spartans, who are 2-0, outshot Grinnell 16-9.

Grinnell, 0-2 overall, will try to get into the win column Wednesday in a game at Coe College. Game time is 5 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's soccer team lost a narrow decision at Central College Tuesday in Pella, falling 1-0 to the Dutch in both teams' season openers.

The game was scoreless nearly the entire way before Central tallied a goal in the 80th minute by Jonathan Schroeder.

Greg Fox '12 (pictured) recorded nine saves for the Pioneers at keeper, while Matti Sahel '11 and Justin Koester '10 combined for five of Grinnell's eight shots, as Sahel took three and Koester a pair. Central outshot Grinnell by a 17-8 margin.

Grinnell will attempt to break into the win column Saturday when it hosts the University of Dubuque at 3 p.m.
Box Score

A trio of Grinnell College men have earned spots on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Division III All-North Central Region Team.

Forward Andrew Walsh '09 (left) was a second-team selection, while defender JP Prouty '10 (center) and midfielder Alex Exarhos '10 (right) were third-team picks. Prouty is a past all-region selection, while Walsh and Exarhos received the honor for the first time in their careers.

Walsh led the Pioneers in numerous offensive categories, including goals (nine), assists (five) 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.

Their efforts helped Grinnell to a record of 12-6-1 overall mark in 2008. The Pioneers were also 6-2-1 in Midwest Conference play and advanced to the league tournament championship game.
Complete release

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 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