Box Scores
The Prairie Fire continue to seek that elusive first win in Midwest Conference play after losing a pair of matches at home against league foes Saturday and Sunday.
Knox has lost three straight matches dating back to September 22, when the University of Dubuque cruised past the Prairie Fire 12-1 in Dubuque. Knox had gone three straight matches without a loss - two wins and a tie - prior to the Dubuque match.
The latest struggles occurred last weekend when Lawrence bested the Prairie Fire 4-1 Saturday at Jorge Prats Field and St. Norbert College beat Knox 4-0 on Sunday, handing the Fire its second and third straight losses and third straight defeat in Midwest Conference play.
Knox avoided a shutout against the Vikings when first-year midfielder Maxwell Gatyas (Plymouth, Wisconsin) scored a goal assisted by junior mid Jack Barthell (Bloomington, Minnesota) eight minutes into the match to tie the score at 1-1 after Lawrence scored at the 5:00 mark of the first half.
Knox managed just four more shots the rest of the way and none on goal after Gatyas found the back of the net. Lawrence (6-4-1, 3-1 MWC) got off 11 shots, eight of them on goal. Sophomore Knox net minder Robert Porter (Tucson, Arizona) had four saves for the Prairie Fire.
The match against St. Norbert was similar in that Knox couldn't muster any offense against the stingy Green Knights defense. SNC (3-7, 1-3 MWC) took 24 shots, nine of them on goal. Knox (2-8-1, 0-3 MWC) got off four shots, none of them on goal. Knights goalie Erik Tauschek earned the shutout, his second of the season.
Knox will try again for its first league victory on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Illinois College. The Blueboys (2-10, 0-3 MWC) have lost four straight matches and, like Knox, are winless in conference play. I.C. has had trouble scoring. The opposition has shut out the Blueboys seven times so far this season.
I.C. will get a shot at a conference victory prior to meeting Knox on Sunday in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Illinois College travels to Beloit College Thursday for a 4:30 p.m. match.
The Buccaneers, also without a MWC victory at 0-3, have a 4-5 overall record. Beloit is coming off a 3-2 win at home last Saturday against Maranatha Baptist. The match against I.C. will be Beloit's sixth straight at home, where they have split their six matches to date (3-3).
