Box Score GRINNELL, Iowa – The Grinnell College men's soccer team had its back to the wall in a big way during Sunday afternoon's contest with Ripon College.

The Pioneers trailed 1-0 late and faced being eliminated from the Midwest Conference Tournament race. But rather than give up, the hosts continued to battle which resulted in an incredible rally in the final 6 minutes that gave them a thrilling 2-1 victory at Springer Field.

The victory pushes Grinnell to 6-4 in the MWC and fourth place in the conference standings. The Pioneers, who are in the league tourney for the sixth time in the past seven years, moved to 9-7-1 in all games.

Grinnell was down 1-0 at halftime and nearly the entire second half. But in the 84th minute, Joseph Brown '15 delivered just as he has most of the season with his team-high 12th goal. Benjamin Warner '15 had the assist.

Warner began the sequence with a free kick as he played Brown in going down the right side. Brown squared it back post and sent it into the net.

But the Pioneers weren't content with going to overtime. Instead, in the 87th minute Victor Ghazal '16 scored his fourth goal of the season on another assist by Warner.

Warner had a free kick which he fired at the keeper. Ghazal ran past the defenders and, after the keeper was unable to collect the ball, tapped it into the net for the eventual game-winner.

Grinnell outshot the Red Hawks, who finished at 3-6-1 in the MWC and 6-11- 1 in all games, by a 16-10 margin. Brown had five of Grinnell's shots, Ghazal four and Elliot Meyer '15 a pair.

Keeper Isaiah Tyree '15 had five saves.

“It was a breath-taking win,” said Grinnell coach Brian Jaworski. “I could not be more proud of the guys on this team for never giving up hope on this game or after starting the season 0-2 in the conference.

“I didn't think we were executing play as well as we normally do, but we were exceptional in our approach in playing every minute,” he continued. “Our guys never took a play off and we played the full 90 minutes like a team that was not going to be denied.

“For such a young team, I gain a lot of confidence when I see us play with such passion, poise and determination,” he added. “They didn't get that from me … they got it from the hard work they have all put in and the leadership we have on this team. We could not be more excited as a team heading over to Lake Forest for the Midwest Conference Championships. This is a team that was forced into three must-win game situations and we succeeded. We're ready to compete under the pressure that makes the Midwest Conference Tournament so special.”

The Pioneers meet regular-season league champion Lake Forest College on Friday.