MONMOUTH, Ill. – Kyle Jussila notched an impressive 11-point performance as the Rams clinched a berth in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference Tournament with a 17-7 rout of Monmouth in Saturday's regular-season finale at April Zorn Memorial Stadium.
 
Coach Lane Zierten's Rams (5-11 overall, 2-3 MLC) secured a postseason berth for the third consecutive year. Cornell will be the No. 4 seed in next week's MLC Tournament, where it will face regular-season champion Lake Forest Wednesday in Lake Forest, Ill.
 
Cornell posted its largest margin of victory this spring, thanks to a season-high seven-goal, four-assist effort from fifth-year attackman Jussila, who also scooped a game-high nine ground balls. Jussila was among seven Rams who scored in a game they dominated with 63 total shot attempts.
 
Luke Baldwin contributed three goals, while Jack Barton and Warren Wiberg netted two apiece for the Rams, who built a commanding 10-2 halftime lead. Elliot Smith, Matt Norwood and Rory MacLean also joined in the scoring act with one goal each. Barton handed out two assists.
 
Sophomore goalie Thomas Cook added 18 saves to his massive school-record season total which now stands at 280. Torii Greiskalns also was a force on the defensive end with seven ground balls and five caused turnovers.
 
Jussila set the tone for the Rams early, scoring five times and assisting on two goals during the team's 9-1 surge to start the contest.
 
The Rams converted 30-of-33 clear chances and pressured the Fighting Scots (1-13 overall, 0-5 MLC) into 25 turnovers.