LAKE FOREST, Ill. — What was an incredible game filled with drama turned into heartbreaker for the Knox College men's soccer team in the semifinals of the Midwest Conference Tournament. Ending regulation and both overtime periods with the score tied at three, the game was decided in a shootout with second-seeded Illinois College (13-4-2) outlasting the third-seeded Prairie Fire (7-7-4) by a 6-5 margin.

In the shootout, fifth-year goalkeeper Nicolas Lantenzdorffer denied the first Blueboy shot, only to be ruled that he came off his line early. Given a second chance, Illinois College scored. And when the second Knox attempt banged off the right post, the Blueboys held the advantage. Then, needing a save on the final of five PKs, Lantzendorffer came up with the clutch stop, continuing the tense shootout.

Both teams scored on their next attempt, but Illinois College deflected the Prairie Fire's seventh attempt, giving it a chance to win on its next shot. Tyler Lunning snuck his kick just past Lantzendorffer in the bottom right corner, sending the Blueboys into a frenzy as they will now face top-seeded Lake Forest (9-7-3) in the finals tomorrow on Mohr Field at 2 p.m.

The game began ominously as Illinois College scored in the seventh minute for a quick 1-0 lead. But by the 20th minute, Knox was on top thanks to a goal courtesy of junior Arito Nakamichi from sophomore Carlos Rebello da Silva, followed by an incredible free kick from more than 25 yards out that kissed the net in the top left corner off the foot of fifth-year Eusebio King-Mills.

The score remained 2-1 into the second half, but the Blueboys rallied to take a 3-2 lead on a Lunning goal with 28 minutes to play followed by a Toby Ybarra goal that deflected off a Knox defender's back, away from the diving Lantzendorffer in the 74th minute.

But the Prairie Fire could not be held down as they countered less than 30 seconds later as senior Adrian Segura sent a cross into the box where sophomore Kestervens Dera laid in waiting. Dera's shot from eight yards out clipped a defender's heel, sending the ball through the keeper's leg toward another defender on the goal line, who could not corral the shot as it bounded off his leg and into the net, knotting the score at three apiece.

• Dera's goal was his team-leading 11th in only 11 games as he missed seven due to injury.
• Nakamichi recorded his fourth goal of the year, while King-Mills tallied the first of his career in his final collegiate contest.
• Seven yellow cards were issued — four to Knox, three to Illinois College — in the hotly contested affair.
• The Blueboys had a 14-11 advantage in shots taken, but the Prairie Fire were more accurate with seven on goal compared to six.