GRINNELL, Iowa – Coach Brian Jaworski's words said it all about his Grinnell College men's soccer thriller against Illinois College.
 
"What a win," he said after Illinois College tied the contest in the 88th minute, only to have Grinnell's Josh Lavin '17 score in the waning seconds to secure the Pioneers' 3-2 Midwest Conference victory at Springer Field. All three of the Pioneers' goals came in the final seven minutes.
 
The win, Grinnell's sixth in the past seven outings, pushed the Pioneers to 3-1 in the league and 7-4 overall. The MWC mark is Grinnell's best since 2010, and the overall record is the best start for the Pioneers since 2008.
 
"Give credit to IC … they executed their game plan well and had us in a difficult spot for the majority of the game," said Jaworski. "It was a very uncomfortable position to be in knowing one mistake could cost us the game, but this team has proven to me that they can perform under pressure.
 
"As a team we work very hard to acquire a winning mentality, and I thought our guys did a GREAT job doing everything they could this week in practice to prepare for this incredible win," he added. "Our leadership, specifically our three captains and Nick Brule, created an environment in practice this week that was electric and energized, and the rest of the guys responded in kind."
 
Illinois College led 1-0 at halftime and well into the second half when Artis Curiskis '18 gained possession of the ball inside the box in the 83rd minute to score his fourth goal of the season. Nikolai Harroun '18 had the assist.
 
Just three minutes later, Nick Brule '17 recorded his team-high ninth goal of the season when Antonio DiMarco '18 had the ball on the left side of the box and got it to Brule, who headed it past the keeper's hands into the goal.
 
"Nick's goal was a thing of beauty," said Jaworski. "Not only did it give us a 2-1 lead, but Antonio played a ball into an area where Nick could go get it if he wanted it bad enough, and sure enough he beat his man to the ball and finished it off with a diving header, side netting. It's a goal I will remember for a LONG time."
 
However, Illinois College scored on a penalty kick in the 88th minute to set up Lavin's heroics. DiMarco had the ball in the box with several players from both teams around. He worked it to Lavin, who sent the ball into the left side of the net with just seconds left on the clock.
 
"Josh's goal was just awesome," said Jaworski. "First, it was an amazing cross from Antonio and Josh, being the toughest guy on the team in my opinion, went into a gritty area and found a way to get a foot on it. We played with urgency most of the day and the final goal was much of the same."
 
Grinnell won the shots battle 12-11, with Brule taking four and Francisco Sanchez-Conde '18 and Curiskis adding two each.
 
Keeper Major May '17 saved three shots for the Pioneers.
 
"We worked extremely hard this week to prepare for the unknown and it paid off," said Jaworski. "Show me a team that can give away the first goal of the game, miss a penalty kick that would have tied the game, scratch and claw to earn a 2-1 lead, only to give away another penalty kick - which was converted - with less than a minute-and-a-half in regulation. AND, the final chapter of today's game is we pull out a dramatic 3-2 win with 14 seconds left in regulation on a perfectly executed corner kick? We work on digging deep when the game moves into the latter stages and everyone who was at the game today saw what I am talking about. Our team had a great week of soccer this week and it really feels good to be a part of a very special team effort!"