GRINNELL, IOWA - The Prairie Fire saw its 2026 season come to an end Tuesday afternoon, falling 3-0 to Grinnell College in the quarterfinals of the Midwest Conference Tournament.
The third-seeded Pioneers opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before adding another goal just over three minutes later to take a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Knox looked to respond in the second half, recording five of its six shots after the break, but Grinnell stood tall and added another tally late in the contest to advance to the next round with a 3-0 victory.
Kestervens Dera led the Prairie Fire with three shots, and Diogo Pereira finished with five saves.
The Prairie Fire conclude their season with a 4-8-5 overall record and a 3-3-3 mark in Midwest Conference play. Knox earned the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament, making its second postseason appearance in the last three seasons.
Dera led the Knox offense throughout the season, finishing with nine goals and six assists. His nine goals ranked among the top totals in the Midwest Conference.
Henriques finished the year with three goals, while Apostolos Karamperis contributed five assists. Pereira anchored the Prairie Fire defense in goal, including a season-high 14 saves against Illinois Wesleyan.
Knox's season was highlighted by conference victories over Ripon, Beloit, and Monmouth, along with a dramatic 3-3 draw at Lake Forest in the regular-season finale that helped secure its tournament berth.
The 2026 campaign also marked the first season at Knox for Head Coach Pablo Arriaga and Assistant Coach Chase Stiner, who guided the Prairie Fire to a Midwest Conference Tournament appearance in their inaugural year with the program.
