MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's men's soccer team got another important victory in their chase for a Midwest Conference tournament berth beating Ripon 2-0.

Cornell (5-8-3 overall, 3-2-2 MWC) scored twice in the final 15 minutes of the first half. The two goals were all they needed as the Rams finished off a 2-0 weekend in conference play.

Facundo Benavidez (SR/Buenos Aires, Argentina) broke the deadlock at the 31:47 mark when he scored after Marcello Robbins (FR/Oak Park, Ill.) drove a low cross into the box. With just three minutes until halftime, Justin Howe (SO/Sedalia, Colo.) made a great attacking run and laid the ball of to Galen Westervelt (FR/Lopez Island, Wash.) to double Cornell's lead before the half.

Cornell attempted 17 shots to Ripon's (1-12-1 overall, 0-5-0 MWC) eight in the match. Benavidez led the Rams attack with eight shot attempts. Howe and Westervelt both attempted two shots. Five players attempted one shot; Garrett Wicker (SR/Baldwin, Wis.), Tyler Davis (JR/St. Andrews, Jamaica), Andrew Lopez (FR/Aurora, Colo.), Jari Gottgens (FR/Nootdorp, Netherlands), and Daniel Edwards (SO/Lake Worth, Fla.).

Tom Gallagher (JR/Cincinnati, Ohio) started the game in net for the Rams. He played the first 58:26 of the match and made two saves. Dylan Terrell (JR/Hickory Hills, Ill.) finished the final 31:34 and made three saves to complete the shutout.

Coming up – The Rams travel to play St. Norbert (11-4-2 overall, 4-1-1 MWC) at 1:30 p.m. next Sunday.