ST. PAUL, Minn. --- A historic season for the Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team came to a close Saturday, Nov. 15 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Titans dropped a 2-1 decision to NCAA Regional host Macalester College at Macalester Stadium. 

IWU caps off its season with a 13-3-2 record, marking the most wins in the program's history, and just the second trip to the NCAA Tournament. Macalster improves to 16-4 and advances to the second round of the tournament to play the winner between University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Sunday, Nov. 16.

Just two minutes into action, Macalester found the back of the net on its first shot of the game. A turnover from the Titans led to a push from the Scots down the near side of the pitch. After a pair of stretch passes were connected, the ball found Zach Liptzin with an open net to give MC a 1-nil lead.

Macalester kept the pressure on in hopes of extending the lead. Fifteen minutes after its first goal, MC put another on target, this time it was blocked away from senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior, which would go on to be the only save in the contest. The score stayed steady into the halftime break. 

Both defenses controlled the start of the second period, with the Titans' first opportunity coming in the 67th minute from freshman Daniel Smazil, who fired a shot but missed high. A few minutes after Daniel Smazil's shot, Macalester punched in one of its own to make it 2-nil. Kuba Ferguson rifled a shot from 20 yards out off the hands of Kedzior before bouncing into the back of the net. 

IWU's best chance came in the 79th minute from junior Matthew Perchik. Perchick made a move to enter the box and wiggled the ball through the defense off the goalkeeper's hands, but was kept out of the net just before the goal line from a Scot defender.

The Titan offense ramped up under five minutes left in regulation. Illinois Wesleyan won a corner kick on the near side for a set play. Sophomore Ben Lyons delivered the pass which fell to the ground and found the foot of junior Ryder Coleman who scooted it past the keeper to draw the Titans within one. A final push from the Green and White was disregarded from the Scot defense, as Illinois Wesleyan failed to put another shot on goal.

IWU finished the match with eight shots, as three landed on net, all coming in the second period. Macalester's attack mustered up the same number of shots, landing one more on goal than the Titans.