Cornell’s men’s soccer program sent out its six seniors with a 3-2 comeback victory over Beloit in Saturday’s Midwest Conference regular-season finale.
Coach Nate Grosse’s Rams secured a winning campaign at 8-6-3 overall. They placed fifth in the MWC race at 3-3-2, two points shy of a postseason berth.
A successful senior class of Drew Bruck, Nolan Zeger, Andrew Lopez, Galen Westervelt, Zach Miller and Blake Soto – all of whom started Saturday – directed the Rams to 23 wins since 2021, the most over a two-year period in program history. The group won a school-record 15 matches last season.
The Rams needed a second-half rally to push past Beloit (3-8-4 overall, 2-2-4 MWC), which took a 2-1 lead at the 51-minute mark.
MWC scoring leader George Archer delivered the equalizer with his fifth penalty kick goal of the season, tying the match at 2-2 in the 71st minute. He also scored early in the match and finished with 31 points and 12 goals for the season.
With the outcome in the balance, Cornell provided the winning goal with 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Freshman Brenton DuBoise booted a long pass downfield to sophomore Aidan Lerch, who beat Beloit’s goalkeeper to the ball and tapped in for the decisive score.
It was Lerch’s fifth goal of the season, and team-high third game-winner.
Cornell keeper Will Bickel helped preserve the lead down the stretch, earning his seventh win of the season. He notched two saves over 90 minutes.
Archer and Cian McNamara each had five shots to lead Cornell’s attack. The Rams held an 18-16 edge in total attempts.
Earlier in the week, the Rams took a 3-1 win over Monmouth.
Archer netted his team-high 10th goal during Cornell’s 3-0 run to start the match. He raised his season points total to 27, most in the MWC.
Cornell had 19 players see the field against the Fighting Scots, five of whom registered a point. Sophomore Aidan Lerch assisted on Cornell’s first two goals as the Rams built a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Mardoche Ntonku opened the scoring in the 11th minute for his sixth goal of the fall. Archer padded the margin to 2-0 in the 31st minute.
Andrew Lopez put the Rams ahead 3-0 on an assisted strike from Blake Soto at the 60-minute mark. Monmouth’s lone goal came in the 67th minute.
Sophomore goalkeeper Will Bickel earned his sixth win of the year and finished with four saves.
The Rams outshot Monmouth, 15-10. Ntonku and Archer led the balanced attack with four attempts apiece.