Becca Mackenzie '09 has been named the Grinnell College women's soccer team's most valuable player for the 2008 campaign.

Miki Nakamura '10 and Kelly Brouse '09 were named the team's most valuable attacker and most valuable defender, respectively. Other awards went to Kirsten Louthan '12 (most improved player within the season), Maia Olsen '11 (most improved player from last season) and Cynthia Dominguez '12 (rookie of the year).

Nakamura, Ellie Deal '11 and Lara Meyer '11 were named team captains for next season.

A total of 361 teams earned the award, 259 women's squads and 102 on the men's side. Squads must have a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher to be honored. Grinnell's women ranked 28th among all teams, while the Pioneer men were 32nd.

The Grinnell women are coached by Heather Benning and the men by Brian Jaworski.
See national academic teams

For the third season in a row, Grinnell College women's soccer players Becca Mackenzie '09 and Miki Nakamura '10 have been named to the All-Midwest Conference first team.

Mackenzie (upper left0, a defensive midfielder, is an all-conference pick for the fourth time in her career after earning second-team honors in her first year. She had seven goals and an assist in 2008. Nakamura (upper right), a forward, led the league with 22 goals and 52 points while also coming up with eight assists.

Two other Pioneers, forward Kim Durinick '09 (lower left) and defender Ellie Deal '11 (lower right), were second-team selections. Durinick finished the year with 10 goals, fifth best in the MWC, and six assists, while Deal had an assist.

Jessica Schadrie of St. Norbert College was the MWC Offensive Player of the Year, while Dani Myszewski of Carroll University was Defensive Player of the Year. Jason Bretzmann of Carroll was named Coach of the Year.
2008 All-Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Teams

A goal by Rachelle Barina in the late stages of the game sent St. Norbert College to a 1-0 win over Grinnell College in the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals Friday afternoon in De Pere, Wis.

Grinnell, the fourth seed in the tourney, fell to 14-5 on the season while the top-seeded Green Knights moved to 12-6-1 and will play Carroll University in Saturday's championship contest. That winner earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Friday's first half was scoreless, as was most of the second, before Barina hit the eventual game-winner in the 85th minute. St. Norbert outshot Grinnell 12-3, with the Pioneers' shots coming from Miki Nakamura '10 - who had two - and Kirsten Louthan '12. Grinnell keeper Laura McElroy '11 had two saves on the day.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team will look for history to repeat itself when it faces St. Norbert College in the opening round of the Midwest Conference Tournament at 2 p.m. Friday in De Pere, Wis.

Although Grinnell is seeded fourth behind the top-seeded and host Green Knights, the Pioneers handed St. Norbert its lone MWC loss of the season back on Oct. 11. Grinnell shot out to a 3-0 halftime lead in the game as Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 and Sydney Stoker '09 found the back of the net to go along with an own goal by the Green Knights. Katherine Larson and Jessica Schadrie scored second-half goals to bring the visitors within one before Katherine Ni '09 scored in the 87th minute to seal the 4-2 win. Miki Nakamura '10 had an assist on Ni's goal.

Nakamura leads the league in points (52) and is tied for first with Schadrie in goals with 22. Kim Durinick '09 is fifth in points with 26 and goals with 10, while Stoker is tied for sixth in points at 22. Stoker is second in the conference in assists (10), Lara Meyer '11 is third (nine) and Nakamura is tied for fourth (eight). Keeper Laura McElroy '11 is tied for first in the conference in goals against average at 1.03.

Grinnell brings a 14-4 overall mark into the game and is 7-2 overall, while St. Norbert owns an 11-6-1 overall record and is 8-1 in the conference. Schadrie is second behind Nakamura in points with 45, while Stephanie Gatyas is tied for sixth with 22. Gatyas is the league leader in assists at 12 and Rachelle Barina and Ann Maki are tied for fourth with eight. Keeper Mallory Ford is fourth in the conference in goals against average at 1.52.

The other semifinal, at 11 a.m. Friday, pits second-seeded Carroll University against third-seeded Lake Forest College. The semifinal winners meet at noon Saturday for the league championship and NCAA Tournament berth.
MIDWEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
At De Pere, Wis.
Friday's Semifinals
#2 seed Carroll University vs. # 3 seed Lake Forest College, 11 a.m.
#1 seed St. Norbert College vs. #4 seed Grinnell College, 2 p.m.
Saturday's Championship
Semifinal winners play, noon

The Grinnell College women’s soccer team finished off regular-season play Saturday afternoon by stopping Knox College 5-0 in Galesburg, Ill.

The Pioneers finish the MWC slate at 7-2 and will be the third or fourth seed in next weekend’s league tournament. Grinnell is 14-4 overall.

The Pioneers led 4-0 at halftime. Kim Durinick ’09 scored in the first minute off an assist by Sydney Stoker ’09, Katherine Ni ’09 got a goal in the 19th minute on Lara Meyer’s 11 assist, Kelly Brouse ’09 scored in the 26th minute on a penalty kick and Frances Leslie ’10 got a goal in the 37th minute. Miki Nakamura ’10 added a goal in the 46th minute off Stoker’s assist to complete the scoring. Nakamura now has 22 goals on the season.

Grinnell outshot the hosts 30-1, with Ni and Durinick getting five shots apiece, Stoker taking four and Nakamura three. Keepers Laura McElroy ’11 and Ingrid Wennerberg ’11 shared duties for Grinnell. Wennerberg had a save.

The MWC Tournament is at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis., and the Pioneers will play either the hosts or Carroll University in Friday’s semifinals.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team's defense was challenged Friday night against regionally-ranked Augustana College, but stook toe-to-toe with the Vikings for more than 100 minutes.

But in the 104th minute, the Vikings' MaryPat Holtrop broke the scoreless tie with a goal to provide the hosts with a 1-0 non-conference double-overtime victory in Rock Island, Ill. Grinnell was outshot 25-0 on the night as the hosts improved to 15-3. Grinnell dipped to 13-4.

Pioneers' keeper Laura McElroy '11 had a huge game with 11 saves. Grinnell closes out the regular season with a Midwest Conference contest against Knox College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Galesburg, Ill. The Pioneers' season will continue the following weekend as they take part in the MWC Tournament at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.
Box Score

Grinnell College defender Becca Mackenzie '09 added another big honor to her resume as she has been named to the College Division District 7 Academic All-District women's soccer first team.

The award is presented by ESPN the Magazine and the College Sports Information Directors of America. By being named to the first team, Mackenzie is now in contention for Academic All-America recognition.

Mackenzie, an anthropology and chemistry major from St. Paul, Minn. (Central HS), has been named All-Midwest Conference three times, including twice to the first team, and has also been tabbed as the MWC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Central Region first-team honors.

Mackenzie, a two-year team captain, has also earned Academic All-Conference honors twice, has been named MWC Player of the Week three times during her career and recently became a finalist for the Watson Award. She has seven goals and an assist this season while helping the Pioneer defense to a stifling 0.94 goals against average.
Click here to see Academic All-District Women's Teams

The Grinnell College women's soccer team will get a solid tuneup for next week's Midwest Conference Tournament with a pair of contests this weekend on the road.

The Pioneers take their 13-3 overall record to Rock Island, Ill., on Friday to play Augustana College in a 6:30 p.m. contest. On Saturday, Grinnell closes out league play and the regular season with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill.

Grinnell, at 6-2 in the conference, has clinched a spot in the conference tournament and will be either the third or fourth seed depending on Saturday's result as well as Lake Forest College's final two games.

Grinnell's Miki Nakamura '10 leads the MWC in points (50), points per game (3.12) and goals per game (1.31) and is second in goals scored (21). Teammate Kim Durinick '09 is sixth in goals per game at 0.56, while she and Sydney Stoker '09 are sixth and seventh in points per game with 1.50 and 1.25, respectively. Stoker, Nakamura and Lara Meyer '11 are tied for second in assists per game at 0.50. Keeper Laura McElroy leads the conference in goals against average at 1.09.

Augustana is 12-5 on the season and its most recent win is a 3-1 decision over Loras College. Jessica Dodds has 11 goals on the season for the Vikings, while Ashley Higuchi and Erin Coulson have eight each and Lauren Polock seven. Keeper Kayla Radloff has a 0.84 goals against average and .780 saves percentage.

Knox enters Saturday's game at 1-7 in the league, having beaten Illinois College, and 1-15 overall. Emma Swanson has three goals on the season for the Prairie Fire, while Kathryn Sain and Carrie Ramig have two each. Knox keeper Alex Rauland is first in the conference in saves per game with 14.94 and 10th in goals against average at 5.50.

The Grinnell College women's soccer team saw Lake Forest College score three unanswered goals and then had a last-ditch comeback fall just short as the Foresters defeated the host school 3-2 in Midwest Conference action Saturday afternoon.

Grinnell, 6-2 in the MWC and 13-3 overall, had been fighting for at least a share of the league title which has now been claimed by St. Norbert College, which won Saturday to complete MWC play at 8-1. Lake Forest is 4-2 in the MWC and 6-8-1 overall.

Grinnell opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Miki Nakamura '10 scored her team-high 21st goal of the season on an assist by Kim Durinick '09. Durinick now has six assists. But the visitors countered with a goal in the 39th minute by Caroline Stearns to force a 1-all halftime tie.

In the second half, Katie Rice scored in the 53rd minute and Mackenzie Yates in the 61st for a 3-1 Lake Forest lead. The Pioneers answered back late, as Durinick (pictured) scored her ninth goal of the year in the 87th minute on Nakamura's team-high ninth assist. But that was as close as the Pioneers could get as Lake Forest held on for the victory.

Grinnell outshot Lake Forest 11-8, with Nakamura taking four shots and Durinick and Kirsten Louthan '12 a pair apiece. Laura McElroy '11 had three saves at keeper.

Grinnell closes out the regular season with games at Augustana College on Oct. 31 and at Knox College on Nov. 1.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team suffered its first Midwest Conference setback Sunday at Carroll University, but the Pioneers still remained in the driver's seat for at least a share of the league title.

Carroll's Cody Callender recorded a hat trick as the hosts posted a 3-1 victory in Waukesha, Wis. Grinnell fell to 6-1 in the MWC and 13-2 overall, while Carroll moved to 5-1-1 in league play and 8-5-1 overall. If Grinnell wins its final two MWC games against Lake Forest College and Knox College, the Pioneers will be assured at least a share of the league title and in line to host the MWC Tournament.

Grinnell opened Sunday's scoring just seconds into the game when Kim Durinick '09 scored on a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper. But Callender answered just two minutes later on an assist from Kendall Uttech to make it 1-all at halftime.

Callender added goals in the 49th and 58th minutes on assists by Liana Foreman and Courtney Baur to account for the final score. Carroll outshot Grinnell, which was short-handed due to injury, by a 16-8 count. Sydney Stoker '09 had three of Grinnell's shots.

Grinnell keeper Laura McElroy '11 had seven saves on the day. The Pioneers entertain Lake Forest next Saturday at 11 a.m., and then play a non-conference contest at Augustana, Ill., the following Friday before closing out the regular season the next day at Knox.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team remained perfect in Midwest Conference play Saturday, topping Ripon College by a 5-1 score in Wisconsin.

The Pioneers, who got two goals from Miki Nakamura '10 (pictured), are now 6-0 in the league and 13-1 overall. Ripon fell to 2-6 in the MWC and 4-13 overall.

Nakamura had the first two goals of the game in a short span, as her scores in the 32nd and 33rd minutes put Grinnell ahead 2-0 at halftime and gave her an even 20 goals on the season. Cynthia Dominguez '12 had the assist on the first goal.

Grinnell kept going from there, as Becca Mackenzie '09 scored in the 48th minute and Frances Leslie '11 in the 55th minute for a 4-0 cushion. Mackenzie now has seven goals on the season and Leslie three. An own goal by the hosts put Grinnell ahead 5-0 in the 80th minute before Ripon scored in the 81st minute to complete things.

The Pioneers outshot Ripon 22-8, with Katherine Ni '09 getting off six shots, Mackenzie five and Sydney Stoker '09 four. Laura McElroy '11 worked the first half at keeper for Grinnell and had a save, while Ingrid Wennerberg '11 played the second half and had three saves.

Grinnell has a big contest at 11 a.m. Sunday when it plays at Carroll University, the preseason conference favorite.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team faces perhaps its biggest weekend of the season to date with a pair of road games that could all but send the Pioneers to the Midwest Conference regular-season title.

Grinnell plays at Ripon College at 11 a.m. Saturday and then faces defending champion Carroll College at the same time Sunday. Grinnell enters the weekend as the lone unbeaten in the MWC with a 5-0 mark. The Pioneers are 12-1 overall and riding an 11-game winning streak.

Grinnell's Miki Nakamura '10 leads the league in goals with 18, while teammate Kim Durinick '09 is tied for fifth with seven and Katherine Ni '09, Becca Mackenzie '09 and Sydney Stoker '09 are all tied for seventh with six. Lara Meyer '11 and Stoker are tied for second in the conference in assists with eight, while Nakamura is fourth with seven and Durinick and Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 are tied for sixth with five each. Keeper Laura McElroy '11 is the league leader in goals against average at 0.75 and tied for first in shutouts with three.

Ripon enters the contest at 2-5 in the league and 4-12 overall. Rachel Martzahl is the team's offensive leader with six goals on the year, while keeper Angelica Cooper has a 3.18 goals against average. Carroll is 4-1-1 in the conference, good for third place, and 7-5-1 overall. Kendell Uttach is third in the conference in goals with 10, while Cody Callender is tied for fifth with seven. Keeper Ashlee Reinke is second behind McElroy in goals against average at 1.25.

Grinnell closes out the home portion of its regular season on Oct. 25 when Lake Forest College visits for an 11 a.m. contest.

Grinnell College's Sydney Stoker '09 has been named the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week.

Stoker, a forward from Salt Lake City, Utah (East High School), had a goal in a 4-2 victory over previous MWC unbeaten St. Norbert College on Saturday and came back with two goals and an assist in a 5-0 win over Lawrence University on Sunday. She now has six goals and a team-high eight assists on the season.

The Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week is Brittney Parker of Monmouth College.

One day after recording a big Midwest Conference win over St. Norbert College, the Grinnell College women's soccer team remained unbeaten in league play with a 5-0 blanking of Lawrence University at Springer Field on Sunday.

The win sent Grinnell to 5-0 in the MWC and 12-1 overall while extending the Pioneers' winning streak to 11 games. Lawrence fell to 3-3 in the league and 5-8 in all games.

Kim Durinick '09 (left) and Sydney Stoker '09 (right0 both scored two goals in the win, while keepers Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 combined for the shutout. Grinnell led 1-0 at halftime when Durinick scored in the 17th minute on assists by Katherine Ni '09 and Stoker.

Playing with a strong wind in the second half, Grinnell took advantage by tallying four goals. Miki Nakamura '10 began the assault when she scored in the 57th minute. McElroy was credited with the assist after sending a long outlet kick deep down the field to set up Nakamura for the score. It was Nakamura's team-high 18th goal of the year.

Durinick scored in the 68th minute before Stoker delivered in both the 76th and 83rd minutes to complete the scoring. Durinick now has seven goals on the year and Stoker six. Grinnell outshot the visitors 26-2 and had 14 shots on goal. Nakamura had six shots, Stoker and Ni added four each and Durinick and Frances Leslie '10 had three apiece. The Pioneers take to the road next weekend with games at Ripon College and Carroll University on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team separated itself from the pack by rolling past St. Norbert College 4-2 in a battle of squads that entered Saturday's contest unbeaten in the Midwest Conference.

The Pioneers, who extended their winning streak to 10 games with the home victory, are now 4-0 in the MWC and 11-1 in all contests. St. Norbert dipped to 4-1 in the league and 7-6 overall.

The teams battled to a scoreless tie until the 27th minute when Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 (pictured) scored an unassisted goal to give the Pioneers a lead they would never relinquish. It was her third goal of the season An own goal by St. Norbert boosted Grinnell ahead 2-0 in the 32nd minute, and Sydney Stoker '09 found the back of the net in the 38th minute to make it 3-0 at halftime. Stoker now has four goals in 2008.

St. Norbert made things interesting in the second half, as Katherine Larson scored in the 67th minute and Jessica Schadrie in the 76th minute to bring the visitors within 3-2. But Katherine Ni '09 sealed the deal with a goal - her sixth of the year - off Miki Nakamura's 10 assist in the 87th minute to account for the final score.

Grinnell held a 19-17 lead in shots, with Kim Durinick '09 and Stoker taking four each and Nakamura three. Laura McElroy '11 played the entire game at keeper for the Pioneers and recorded nine saves.

Grinnell remains at home Sunday to take on Lawrence University. Game time is 11 a.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team has a big weekend approaching, hosting St. Norbert College at 11 a.m. Saturday and entertaining Lawrence University at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Grinnell enters the weekend with an unblemished Midwest Conference record of 3-0 while owning a 10-1 overall mark and nine-game winning streak. Miki Nakamura '10 has been the offensive star for the Pioneers with 17 goals and six assists for the season. She has been named the MWC Offensive Performer of the Week two times in a row. Becca Mackenzie '09 has six goals, while Kim Durinick '09 and Katherine Ni '09 have five each. Lara Meyer '11 has a team-high eight assists, while Sydney Stoker '09 adds seven.

Laura McElroy '11 has a 0.66 goals against average at keeper and .792 saves percentage while putting together a 9-1 record. Ingrid Wennerberg '11 has a 0.29 goals against average and .889 saves percentage.

Saturday's game will be a battle of MWC unbeatens as St. Norbert owns a 4-0-0 mark in league play, with wins over Carroll College, Lake Forest College, Beloit College and Ripon College. The Green Knights, who are 7-5-1 overall, are led by Jessica Schadrie's 13 goals. Rachelle Barina and Jenni Jacobson have two apiece, while Stephanie Gatyas has eight assists. Keeper Mallory Ford has a 1.39 goals against average and .788 saves percentage.

Lawrence is 2-2 in the MWC and 4-7-0 in all contests. League wins have come against Beloit and Ripon and losses to Lake Forest and Carroll. Sarah Ehlinger has four goals for Lawrence on the season, while Elizabeth Seeley and Amelia Lerch have two each. Ehlinger also has two assists. Keeper Lindsey Allen has a 2.18 goals against average and .730 saves percentage.

After the weekend games, the Pioneers take to the road next week for games at Ripon College on Oct. 18 and Carroll College Oct. 19.

For the second week in a row, Miki Nakamura '10 of Grinnell College has been named the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

Nakamura, a forward from Honolulu, Hawaii (Kamehameha HS), boosted her season goal total to 17 by scoring three times in two games over the weekend. She had two goals and a pair of assists in a 5-0 win over Beloit and the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over the University of Dubuque.

The Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week is Leah Wiercinski of Carroll University.

Grinnell College's women's soccer team upped its winning streak to nine games as the Pioneers clipped the University of Dubuque 1-0 Sunday afternoon in Grinnell.

The Pioneers, 10-1 on the season, got their goal in the 39th minute when Miki Nakamura '10 scored on an assist by Lara Meyer '11 (pictured). It was Nakamura's 17th goal of the season and Meyer's eighth assist, both team-highs. Grinnell outshot the visitors from the Iowa Conference by an 18-5 count, including an 11-2 edge in shots on goal. Nakamura fired off five shots, Kirsten Louthan '12 had four and Katherine Ni '09, Kim Durinick '09 and Cynthia Dominguez '12 coming up with two apiece.

Grinnell keeper Laura McElroy '11 had another strong outing as she improved to 9-1 on the season and recorded her third shutout. She had a pair of saves.

The Pioneers have two more home outings coming up, hosting St. Norbert College on Oct. 11 and Lawrence University on Oct. 12.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team stayed perfect in Midwest Conference play with a 5-0 blanking of Beloit College Saturday afternoon in Grinnell.

The Pioneers got two goals from Miki Nakamura '10 (pictured), who now has 16 on the season, as well as two assists to bring her season total to six. Nakamura started the scoring in the sixth minute on an assist from Katherinre Ni '09. It was Ni's third assist of the year. Frances Leslie '10 then added a goal in the 37th minute off Nakamura's assist for a 2-0 halftime lead. Leslie now has two goals in 2008.

Kim Durinick '09 scored in the 54th minute, her fifth goal of the season, on an assist by Lauren Cantley '11. Nakamura followed up with another goal in the 77th minute on an assist by Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09, while Heather Kubicek '12 scored just 12 seconds later on Nakamura's assist to complete the scoring. It was Kubicek's first goal in her Pioneer career.

Grinnell outshot the visitors 27-3, including 14 shots on goal. Ni fired eight shots, while Sydney Stoker '09 and Nakamura took four shots apiece. Keepers Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 each worked a half for Grinnell, with McElroy coming up with one save and Wennerberg two.

Grinnell improved to 3-0 in the conference and 9-1 in all contests, while Beloit fell to 0-4 in the league and 4-6 overall. The Pioneers play at home again Sunday, with non-conference opponent University of Dubuque visiting for a noon game.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team takes to the home field twice this weekend, playing Midwest Conference foe Beloit College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and taking on the University of Dubuque in non-conference play at noon Sunday.

Grinnell enters the weekend with an impressive 8-1 overall mark and is 2-0 in the MWC. The Pioneers are riding a seven-game winning streak during which they've outscored their foes 28-2. Miki Nakamura' 10 has been the offensive star for the Pioneers, scoring 14 goals to go along with four assists on the season. Becca Mackenzie '09 has six goals, Katherine Ni '09 has scored five and Kim Durinick '09 four. Sydney Stoker '09 and Lara Meyer '11 have seven assists each, while Durinick has five. Laura McElroy '11 has played most of the team's minutes at keeper, coming up with a .762 saves percentage and 0.83 goals against average.

Beloit comes into Saturday's contest at 0-3 in the MWC and 4-5 overall. The Buccaneers have suffered league losses to Lawrence University (2-0), Ripon College (2-1) and St. Norbert College (2-1). Amy Buechler and Sophie Perry have three goals apiece for Beloit, while Molly Dickson and Liz Haan have two. Katie Schurr, the team's primary keeper, has a 1.69 goals against average and .800 saves percentage.

The University of Dubuque is 4-3-3 entering the weekend. Ashly Hamilton has paved the way offensively for the Spartans with seven goals, while Emily Azinger has four and Chelsea Kittleson two. Keeper Natalie Baker has a 0.87 goals against average and .847 saves percentage.

Grinnell remains at home next weekend with games against St. Norbert College and Lawrence University on Oct. 11 and 12, respectively.

Miki Nakamura '10 of Grinnell College has been named the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

Nakamura, a forward from Honolulu, Hawaii (Kamehameha HS), played a big part in two Midwest Conference victories over the weekend. She had three goals and an assist in a 10-0 win at Illinois College on Saturday and added two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win at Monmouth College on Sunday. For the season she has 14 goals and four assists as the Pioneers improved to 8-1 overall.

The Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week is Dani Myszewski of Carroll University.

One day after rolling past Illinois College, the Grinnell College women's soccer team sailed to yet another Midwest Conference victory Sunday afternoon.

Miki Nakamura '10, who had three goals in the Pioneers' 10-0 win over Illinois College, scored twice against Monmouth College on Sunday to help her squad to a 4-1 victory. The win sends Grinnell to 8-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Monmouth dipped to 2-3-2 overall and 0-1 in the MWC.

Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 opened Grinnell's scoring with an unassisted goal in the 12th minute before Nakamura scored in the 37th minute with assists coming from Kim Durinick '09 and Frances Leslie '10. Grinnell had its 2-0 halftime lead cut in half in the 49th minute on a goal by Becca Baur, but the Pioneers all but sealed up the victory in the 78th minute when Sydney Stoker '09 scored on an assist by Nakamura. Nakamura scored an unassisted goal in the final minute to account for the final score.

Grinnell outshot the hosts 22-5, including an 11-2 edge in shots on goal. Nakamura had five shots, Maldonado-Bell, Stoker and Durinick added three apiece and Lara Meyer '11 and Katherine Ni '09 added two each.

Keeper Laura McElroy '11 had another strong effort in the net, coming up with one save while earning yet another victory. Grinnell plays the first of four consecutive home games Oct. 4 when Beloit College visits for a 1:30 p.m. test.

Miki Nakamura '10 recorded a hat track and Katherine Ni '09 added two goals as the Grinnell College women's soccer team rolled past Illinois College 10-0 in the Pioneers' Midwest Conference opener Saturday at Jacksonville, Ill.

The Pioneers, who led 3-0 at halftime, improved to 7-1 overall and extended their winning streak to six games. They've outscored foes 34-1 in that span.

Ni opened the scoring in just the second minute on a corner kick with the assists coming from Kim Durinick '09 and Nakamura. Becca Mackenzie '09 scored on another corner kick in the 20th minute in Ellie Deal's 10 assist, while Nakamura added her first goal in the 30th minute on an assist by Frances Leslie '10. Mackenzie's goal was her sixth on the season, second-best on the team.

Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 opened the second-half scoring in the 51st minute on a corner kick, with the assists going to Lara Meyer '11 and Durinick. Sydney Stoker '09 added a goal in the 53rd minute on assists by Kirsten Louthan '12 and Meyer, while Ni added her fifth goal of the year in the 56th minute on a corner kick with Maldonado-Bell being credited with the assist.

Louthan scored in the 70th minute on a corner kick and Durinick scored in the 72nd minute on Lauren Cantley's '11 assist. Nakamura completed the scoring with goals in the 79th and 88th minutes, with Meyer assisting the first goal and Ni the other. She now has 12 goals on the season.

Grinnell outshot Illinois College 36-1, with Nakamura taking eight shots, Ni five and Mackenzie and Stoker three apiece. Grinnell also had a 23-0 edge in shots on goal. Laura McElroy '11 worked into the 49th minute at keeper for the Pioneers and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 went the rest of the game to complete the shutout.

The Pioneers remain on the road Sunday, taking on Monmouth College at 11 a.m.
Box Score

Laura McElroy '11 of Grinnell College has been named the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week.

McElroy, a sophomore goal keeper from Springfield, Mo. (Glendale HS), helped guide the Pioneers to a 1-0 shutout victory Friday over defending Iowa Conference champion Simpson College. She recorded four saves in the game and improved her record on the season to 5-1. McElroy is the second Pioneer in a row to be named MWC Defensive Performer of the Week, as Ellie Deal earned the honor last Monday.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Hillary King of Illinois College.

A penalty kick by Becca Mackenzie '09 (left) at the 88:42 mark of play helped the Grinnell College women's soccer team work past Simpson College 1-0 Friday night in Indianola.

Mackenzie's score, her fifth of the season, sent Grinnell to its fifth straight win as the Pioneers posted their fourth shutout in the past five contests. Laura McElroy '11 (right) was stellar at keeper in earning her second shutout. She had four saves.

Grinnell, 6-1 on the season, outshot Simpson 9-7. Katherine Ni '09 had three shots, all on goal, while Miki Nakamura '10 and Mackenzie had two apiece. Kim Durinick '09 and Lauren Cantley '11 had the other shots. Megan Berlin had two of Simpson's shots as the Storm slipped to 2-2-1 on the year.

Grinnell opens Midwest Conference play on Sept. 27 with a contest at Illinois College, which will be followed the next day by a contest at Monmouth College.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team plays the first of three consecutive road games Friday with a contest at Simpson College in Indianola. Action begins at 7 p.m.

Grinnell is coming off a weekend sweep in which the 5-1 Pioneers defeated Buena Vista University 8-0 and North Park University 3-1. Ellie Deal '11 earned Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week honors for her efforts. Miki Nakamura '10 scored two goals in both contests.

For the season, Nakamura has nine goals, Becca Mackenzie '09 has four and Kim Durnick '09 and Katherine Ni '09 have three apiece. Sydney Stoker leads the team in assists with seven, while Lara Meyer '11 has four. Laura McElroy '11 has seen the most time at keeper and has a 1.14 goals against average and .753 saves percentage. Ingrid Wennerberg '11 has also played at that spot and averages 0.40 goals against and a .857 saves percentage.

Simpson enters the contest with a 2-1-1 mark with wins over Gustavus Adolphus (2-0) and Grand View (1-0), a loss to Wisconsin-La Crosse (1-0 in overtime) and a tie with Midland Lutheran (1-1). Nicole Dillenburg has two goals on the season for the Storm, while Kellie Whitney and Katherine Bird have one apiece. Keeper Whitney Franker has a 0.46 goals against average and .950 saves percentage.

Grinnell opens Midwest Conference play on Sept. 27 with a contest at Illinois College, which will be followed the next day by a contest at Monmouth College.

The Grinnell College women's soccer team plays the first of three consecutive road games Friday with a contest at Simpson College in Indianola. Action begins at 7 p.m.

Grinnell is coming off a weekend sweep in which the 5-1 Pioneers defeated Buena Vista University 8-0 and North Park University 3-1. Ellie Deal '11 earned Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week honors for her efforts. Miki Nakamura '10 scored two goals in both contests.

For the season, Nakamura has nine goals, Becca Mackenzie '09 has four and Kim Durnick '09 and Katherine Ni '09 have three apiece. Sydney Stoker leads the team in assists with seven, while Lara Meyer '11 has four. Laura McElroy '11 has seen the most time at keeper and has a 1.14 goals against average and .753 saves percentage. Ingrid Wennerberg '11 has also played at that spot and averages 0.40 goals against and a .857 saves percentage.

Simpson enters the contest with a 2-1-1 mark with wins over Gustavus Adolphus (2-0) and Grand View (1-0), a loss to Wisconsin-La Crosse (1-0 in overtime) and a tie with Midland Lutheran (1-1). Nicole Dillenburg has two goals on the season for the Storm, while Kellie Whitney and Katherine Bird have one apiece. Keeper Whitney Franker has a 0.46 goals against average and .950 saves percentage.

Grinnell opens Midwest Conference play on Sept. 27 with a contest at Illinois College, which will be followed the next day by a contest at Monmouth College.

Ellie Deal '11 of Grinnell College has been named the Midwest Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week.

Deal, a defender from Seattle, Wash. (Roosevelt HS), played a major role in the Pioneers' 3-0 record over the past week. In contests against Central College, Buena Vista University and North Park University, the Pioneers outscored their foes 18-1. They allowed just five shots in the three games, including a no-shot performance against Buena Vista.

The Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week is Jessica Schadrie of St. Norbert College.

The Grinnell College women's soccer team tuned up for a three-game road stand with a 3-1 home victory over North Park University of Chicago Sunday afternoon.

The Pioneers got two goals from Miki Nakamura '10 (left), boosting her season total to nine, while Sydney Stoker '09 (right) contributed two assists to move her total to seven on the year. Both Nakamura's goal total and Stoker's assist total are team-highs.

North Park opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Sarah Hansen found the back of the net, but Kim Durinick '09 tied it for Grinnell with a goal in the 32nd minute on an assist by Allison Louthan '12. With the game tied 1-all at halftime, Nakamura put the Pioneers ahead to stay when she scored in the 51st minute on Stoker's assist. Nakamura put the game away in the 79th minute when she scored again via assists from Durinick and Stoker.

Grinnell outshot the visitors 22-3 and had a 12-2 edge in shots on goal. Nakamura had seven shots and Durinick three. Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg each played a half at keeper for Grinnell. Wennerberg had one save in the second half en route to earning her first victory of the year.

With the win, Grinnell is now 5-1 and riding a four-game victory streak while outscoring those foes 23-1 in the process. North Park dipped to 1-5.

Grinnell now takes to the road for three games, starting with a contest Friday night at Simpson. Game time is 7 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team combined strong offense and solid defense to coast past Buena Vista University 8-0 in a non-conference contest Saturday afternoon at Grinnell.

The Pioneers, who improved to 4-1 on the season, have outscored their last three foes by a combined score of 20-0. Buena Vista dipped to 0-5 on the season.

The Pioneers outshot the visitors by a 34-0 count, including 20 shots on goal, as they improved to 4-1 on the season. Miki Nakamura '10 (pictured) scored twice for the winners to boost her season total to seven goals. Becca Mackenzie '09 opened the scoring for Grinnell with a goal in the 18th minute, her fourth of the season. Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 and Sydney Stoker '09 had assists on the play. For Stoker, it was her team-leading fifth assist. Grinnell made it 2-0 at halftime when Nakamura scored in the 29th minute off an assist by Lara Meyer '11.

Grinnell began pulling away in the second half when unassisted goals by Katherine Ni '09 in the 49th minute and Katherine Shatto '12 in the 53rd minute made it 4-0. Stoker followed with a goal in the 65th minute, with Kirsten Louthan '12 and Maldonado-Bell providing assists, and Nakamura added a goal in the 75th minute to make it 6-0. Louthan added a goal in the 80th minute on an assist by Liz Dreier '11 and Lauren Cantley '11 finished off the scoring with a goal in the 86th minute on an assist by Cynthia Dominguez '12. Nakamura fired off 10 shots in the Pioneers' 34-shot attack, while Ni had six and Cantley four.

Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 shared keeper duties for the Pioneers, as each worked 45 minutes in the shutout.

On Sunday, the Pioneers entertain North Park University of Illinois at 1 p.m. before taking to the road for three straight games.
Box Score

Grinnell College's women's soccer team exploded out to a 6-0 halftime lead on its way to a 7-0 win over Central College Wednesday in Pella.

Miki Nakamura '10 scored two goals to bring her total to five for the season, while Sydney Stoker '09 (left) and Lara Meyer '11 (right) contributed three assists each. Kim Durinick '09 opened the scoring just six minutes into the game with her second goal of the season. Meyer had the assist. Meyer was also in on the next assist with Nakamura when Katherine Ni '09 scored her second goal of the year in the 15th minute.

Becca Mackenzie '09 then got into the scoring act with a goal in the 25th minute as Stoker recorded the first of three consecutive assists. The others came on goals by Nakamura in the 39th minute and Dylan O'Donoghue '11 in the 40th minute. It was O'Donoghue's first score of the year. Nakamura completed the first-half scoring with a goal in the 43rd minute on Meyer's assist.

Liz Dreier '11 concluded the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 81st minute. It was her first score of the year. Grinnell outshot Central 29-2 and had a 14-1 edge in shots on goal. Mackenzie had six shots, including four on goal, while Durinick and Nakamura each had four shots and Meyer and Ni three apiece.

Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 shared keeper duties for Grinnell, each working a half in the shutout. Wennerberg had a save.

Grinnell, 3-1 on the season, hosts another Iowa Conference foe in Buena Vista University at 1 p.m. Saturday. Central is now 1-3.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's soccer team bounced back from a shutout loss at Loras College two days earlier to post a shutout of their own, earning a 5-0 home win over Cornell College on Saturday.

The Pioneers, who improved to 2-1 on the season, bolted out to a 2-0 halftime lead when Becca Mackenzie '09 scored in the ninth minute and Miki Nakamura '10 added a 41st-minute goal thanks to an assist from Lauren Cantley '11. Mackenzie's goal was her second of the season.

In the second half, Kim Durinick '09 scored in the 48th minute off an assist by Gabi Maldonado-Bell '09 before Nakamura converted her second goal of the contest, one of the unassisted variety in the 58th minute. It was Nakamura's third goal of the season. The Pioneers added some insurance in the 71st minute when Frances Leslie '10 scored on assists from Katherine Ni '09 and Mackenzie.

Laura McElroy '11 played the entire game at keeper for the Pioneers and turned in her first shutout of the season while recording six saves. Grinnell outshot the visitors, who fell to 1-2, by a 26-11 count and had an 8-6 edge in shots on goal.

Grinnell takes to the road after the weekend game to play Central College in Pella on Sept. 10. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
Box Score

Loras College got two goals from Kate Young in the first 7:22 of the game on its way to a 3-0 home win over the Grinnell College women’s soccer team Thursday night.

The winners, who improved to 2-0 on the season, also got a late goal from Kristine Mason to account for the final score. The Duhawks outshot Grinnell by a 22-8 count. Becca Mackenzie ‘09 had three shots for Grinnell, while Miki Nakamura ‘10 had two - both shots on goal. Kim Durinick ‘09, Mackenzie and Frances Leslie ‘10 also had shots on goal for the Pioneers.

Laura McElroy ‘11 and Ingrid Wennerberg ‘11 shared keeper duties for the 1-1 Pioneers. McElroy had five saves and Wennerberg three.

Grinnell returns to the home field on Saturday when another Iowa Conference foe, Cornell College, visits. Game time is 11 a.m.

The Grinnell College women's soccer team got its 2008 campaign off to a flying start Saturday with a 4-1 home victory over non-conference foe Coe College.

Four different players found the back of the net for the Pioneers, including Miki Nakamura '10 (pictured) who also had an assist among her totals. Becca Mackenzie '09 opened the scoring for Grinnell in the 13th minute when she scored on a penalty kick, sending the ball into the left side of the net beyond the reach of Coe's keeper.

The Kohawks tied the game in the 18th minute as Taylor Allen scored unassisted. But the Pioneers rallied to take a 2-1 lead into halftime as Lara Meyer '11 scored in the 36th minute on assists from a pair of first-year players, Kirsten Louthan '12 and Cynthia Dominguez '12. The Pioneers kept it going from there, tacking on two more goals in the second half. Katherine Ni '09 scored in the 48th minute on assists by Nakamura and Kim Durinick '09, while Nakamura tallied a goal in the 84th minute with the benefit of an assist by Sydney Stoker '09.

The Pioneers outshot Coe by the commanding figure of 31-2 and had 14 shots on goal. Nakamura and Louthan led the way with five shots each, while Ni, Mackenzie and Meyer had four each. Laura McElroy '11 and Ingrid Wennerberg '11 shared keeper duties for the Pioneers, with McElroy working the first half and Wennerberg a scoreless second half.

The Pioneers play their annual alumni game at 1 p.m. Sunday before jumping back into regular-season action Sept. 4 at Loras College in Dubuque.
Box Score

Midwest Conference coaches have picked the Grinnell College women's soccer team to battle for the league crown in 2008.

The Pioneers garnered two first-place votes in preseason balloting and were selected to finish in the runner-up spot. Defending champion Carroll was picked as the favorite after collecting seven first-place votes, while Lake Forest was tabbed for a third-place finish and had the other top vote.

St. Norbert and Monmouth rounded out the top five and were followed, in order, by Lawrence, Beloit, Ripon, Knox and Illinois College.

Grinnell placed fourth in the conference last season with a 6-3 record.
2008 Midwest Conference Preseason Release

With a strong nucleus returning, the Grinnell College women's soccer team will seek big things in its 2008 campaign.

"We have a very strong senior class coming back," said Pioneers' coach Heather Benning, whose team was 10-9 overall last season and 6-3 in the Midwest Conference. "We have seven seniors, and five of them started. All were significant contributors."

Leading the way is three-year All-Midwest Conference defender Becca Mackenzie, who anchored the team's stifling defense. Another senior defender, Kelly Brouse, has also earned all-conference honors during her Pioneer career and forward Katherine Ni has either led the team in scoring or been among the leaders in her previous three seasons. She was second last year in points with 18 and goals with eight.

Rounding out the list of senior returnees are forward Sydney Stoker, who was fifth in the Midwest Conference last year with seven assists, midfielder Gabi Maldonado-Bell, midfielder Kim Durinick and defender Brenna Curley. Durinick was third on the team in goals last year with six.

Two-time All-Midwest Conference forward Miki Nakamura anchors the junior returnees. She was second in the league in points per game (2.13), goals (14) and goals per game (0.93) and third in points (32) despite being injured part of the season. "Miki and (forward) Frances Leslie will certainly be leaned upon for goal production," said Benning.

Among the sophomore returnees are both of the team's keepers, Laura McElroy and Ingrid Wennerberg. McElroy was fourth in the Midwest Conference last year in goals against average (1.43). "Both of them gained valuable college experience in the net last year and that will help them immensely this season," said Benning.

Another sophomore returnee is All-Midwest Conference defender Ellie Deal. Rounding out the list of sophomores are Lauren Cantley (midfielder), Lara Meyer (midfielder), Dylan O'Donoghue (midfielder/forward), Liz Dreier (midfielder/forward) and Maia Olsen (midfielder).

The incoming first-year class includes Kirsten Louthan (midfielder/forward), Becca Carter (midfielder), Meenu Charaschanya (midfielder), Lauren Horn (midfielder/defender), Cynthia Dominguez (defender), Katherine Shatto (midfielder/forward), Samantha Bates (defender), Heather Kubicek (midfielder/forward) and Stephanie Rouse (midfielder).

"With the first-year class we're looking to fill the hole at center-mid, and we're expecting a lot in that area from Kirsten Louthan," said Benning. "Another strong contributor should be Becca Carter, who comes from the same club program as Laura McElroy. People like Lauren Horn and Cynthia Dominguez will be key performers as they gain experience this year to serve as replacements for a big defensive group that we'll graduate after this season."

Benning is hoping the Pioneers can capture the Midwest Conference crown. "Being a part of a strong program means having consistent and high expectations," she said. "Our priority is to bring our strongest game to conference competition and put ourselves in position to reclaim the league title."

Benning also noted the team has mixed up its usual non-conference schedule. "We're not playing some of our traditional opponents, and seeing different teams will be exciting," she said. "We'll be playing people early in the season who aren't familiar with our style. We can use those games to see our first-years in action before we get into the heart of the league schedule."