Green Knights Win First MWC Championship Since 2007

From Sports Information Director, November 1, 2015 | Men's Soccer
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - St. Norbert College rallied from a second-half deficit to earn a 3-2 win over Lake Forest College and win its first Midwest Conference championship since 2007.

The Green Knights (11-5-2, 8-1-1 MWC) won their eighth MWC men's soccer championship, and it was the 100th overall MWC title for the school since joining the league in 1983. St. Norbert will host the MWC Tournament this Friday and Saturday at Schneider Stadium in De Pere. The Green Knights will face the Foresters again at 11 a.m. Friday in the first semifinal, followed by Knox College and Carroll University in the other semifinal at 1:30 p.m. Friday. The winners will meet for the championship at noon Saturday.

St. Norbert faced a 2-1 deficit midway through the second half before Jon Gregory scored off an assist from Sean Sladky at the 66:19 mark to draw even. Tyler Kassube then scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick at 74:02, his team-high ninth marker of the season.

Lake Forest (12-6, 7-3) got on the scoreboard early when Ellis Rutili scored off a corner kick just 3:28 into the game. St. Norbert drew even at 1-1 when Kevin Marx scored off a Drew Checolinski assist at 36:18. The Foresters jumped back ahead on another Rutili goal at 52:03.

Lake Forest outshot St. Norbert 23-8, including 14-2 in the second half, but both of the Green Knights' shots in the final 45 minutes ended up in the back of the net. Tim Fox was the goalkeeper of record for St. Norbert, making four saves in 17:10 of relief. Sam Lisheron started for St. Norbert and made four saves in 72:50.

Josh Geiger made three saves for Lake Forest.