BELOIT, WI – The Beloit College men's soccer team made history today, defeating Cornell College 2-1 in a hard-fought match at Strong Soccer Field. With this pivotal victory, the Buccaneers have clinched a spot in the Midwest Conference tournament, marking their first appearance in 13 years.

The atmosphere was electric as both teams battled under the afternoon sun. The Rams (7-9-1, 4-3-1 MWC) faced a determined Buccaneers (7-8-4, 4-2-2 MWC) side, who needed the win to secure the tournament berth. 

The game started with high intensity. The Rams were the first to strike, scoring in the 13th minute, putting the Rams up 1-0. However, the Bucs quickly answered, demonstrating their resilience. Rafael Cervantes Jr. (Dallas, TX) found the back of the net in the 19th minute, assisted by Matteo Jijon (Wilmette, IL), leveling the score at 1-1 before halftime.

The second half was a tense affair, with both teams pushing for the decisive goal. Beloit's defense, anchored by goalkeeper David Staats (Meridian, ID), stood firm against Cornell's attacks. Staats proved to be a key player, making 8 crucial saves throughout the match, including several in the second half to keep the Buccaneers in the game.

The defining moment arrived in the 82nd minute when Nicholas Williams (Fenton, MO) scored what would be the game-winning goal for Beloit, again assisted by the impressive Jijon. This late-game heroics sent the Beloit bench and fans into a frenzy, knowing the significance of the go-ahead goal.

Cornell made a valiant effort to equalize in the remaining minutes, but Beloit's defense held strong, securing the 2-1 victory. 

With the win, the Buccaneers secured the second seed in the tournament. They will face the three seed Grinnell at 2 pm on Friday, November 7th. The winner of that game will face the winner of No. 1 Lake Forest and No. 4 Ripon. Lake Forest will serve as the tournament host with the games being played at Farwell Field.