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GRINNELL, Iowa – After completing an undefeated and untied regular season the Lake Forest College women’s soccer team will host the 2014 Midwest Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament at Farwell Field with the winner earning the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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In the first semifinal, the Foresters (18-0-0, 10-0-0), ranked No. 1 in the North Region by the NCAA and No. 15 in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, will play the fourth-seeded Grinnell College Pioneers (10-7-1, 6-3-1).
Lake Forest knocked off Grinnell 2-1 back on Oct. 4 in Lake Forest. Michelle Greeneway has been an offensive force for Lake Forest in 2014. The junior has been named the MWC Offensive Performer of the Week four times this season and is tied for the national lead with 10 game-winning goals. She is also in the top-10 nationally and leads the MWC in goals per game (1.5), points per game (3.5), goals (27) and points (63).
Despite being a defender, Sam Hillis has passed out 17 assists to finish second in the league and third nationally behind Ripon College’s Kaylee Tadych (19). Also adding some scoring punch has been Holly Lesperance as she has found the back of the net 11 times and assisted on 10 goals. In goal, Rachel Tenuta leads the MWC with a 0.74 goals against average and is second in the league in save percentage (83.1).
First year head coach Kirsten Russell has Grinnell back in the MWC Tournament for the fourth straight season. Last Saturday, the Pioneers had their five-match unbeaten streak snapped at second-seeded Ripon.
13 different women have found the back of the net this season with Carolyn Silverman leading the way with eight goals, four assists and 20 points. Katy Oldach has played nearly the entire season in goal and has shutout six opponents. Twice she has been named the MWC Defensive Performer of the Week.
The first semifinal will feature Ripon (12-6-0, 8-2-0) and Carroll University (7-8-2, 6-2-2). Ripon is making its first ever appearance in the MWC Tournament. Way back on Sept. 27, the Red Hawks knocked off the Pioneers in Ripon.
The Red Hawks have been hot as of late and are riding a four-game winning streak heading into the weekend. Offensively, the Red Hawks feature a three-headed monster in Brandi Peltier, Paige Birschbach and Kaylee Tadych. Peltier and Birschbach both have scored 40 points while Tadych has mustered 39. Peltier leads the group with 16 goals while Tadych’s 19 assists lead the MWC.
Defensively, Sidney Blodgett has played every second in goal for the Red Hawks and has an 82% save percentage and has shut out six opponents.
After missing the tournament the past two season, head coach Susie Foster has Carroll back in postseason play. Needing a win or a tie last Saturday to make the tournament, the Pioneers beat St. Norbert College 1-0 to clinch the third seed. The reigning MWC Defensive Performer of the Week Erica Patterson has played every second in goal for Carroll this season and has posted eight shutouts and hasn’t allowed a goal since Oct. 14 against the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Offensively, Casey Weyhrich leads the team with seven goals and Ally Rotolo, Carly Oboikovitz and Tia Irish have scored three times each.
Carroll and Ripon kickoff at 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning with Lake Forest and Grinnell taking the field at 2:00 p.m. The winners will meet in Saturday’s final at 2:00 p.m.