MOUNT VERNON – Saturday's intense 0-0 Midwest Conference draw between the Cornell and Lake Forest men's soccer teams proved to be a preview for an intriguing postseason rematch next weekend.
With the tie on Senior Day, coach
Nate Grosse's Rams (6-7-5 overall) secured second place in the final MWC standings at 4-2-2. Lake Forest (5-8-4 overall) wound up one point behind Cornell in third at 3-1-4.
Illinois College (5-1-2 MWC) captured the regular-season title – three points ahead of the Rams – and will host the four-team MWC Tournament Nov. 3-4 in Jacksonville, Ill. That's where No. 2 seed Cornell and No. 3 seed Lake Forest will meet Friday in an MWC semifinal.
The Rams notched their fifth shutout in conference play, thanks to another complete-game effort by goalkeeper
Floris Huiskers. The sophomore registered 10 saves in the match, six coming in the second half.
Cornell's attack was led by
Sam Burmeister with three shots, followed by
Erwann Hiernaux with a pair.
The Foresters fired 22 total shots, 13 after intermission.
Prior to Saturday's match, Cornell honored its five senior players in George Pappadakis,
Federico Polidori,
Bryce Scott,
Emerson Roy and
Jeremy Spina.