MOUNT VERNON – Sophomore George Archer took over the season points lead in the Midwest Conference while helping the Rams to a 3-1 men's soccer win over visiting Monmouth Tuesday.
 
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.
 
The Rams climbed back over the .500 mark at 7-6-3 overall and improved to 2-3-2 in league play with one match remaining. Cornell, however, was denied a return trip to next weekend's MWC Tournament by virtue of Knox's 3-1 win over Illinois College Tuesday. 
 
Cornell had 19 players see the field against the Fighting Scots (3-11-2 overall, 1-6 MWC), 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.     
 
Coming up – Cornell hosts Beloit (3-7-3, 2-1-3 MWC) for Senior Day at 11 a.m. in Saturday's finale.