An impressive hat-trick performance by forward Annie Borton ’07 led the women’s soccer team to a 3-1 win over the hosting Grinnell College Pioneers on Wednesday afternoon.

The Mac women were not happy with their first half of play, and went into the break tied at 1-1. Borton had put Mac ahead just six minutes into the game, but Grinnell equalized on a deflected shot just 19 minutes later. Mac turned things around in the second half however, picking up two more goals and controlling the field of play.

“It was a tough game,” Katie Pastorius ’06 said. “We definitely picked it up for the second half.”

With the win, the Scots move on to face the Duhawks of Loras College tomorrow. “We don’t want it to end this weekend,” Pastorius said. “We didn’t want it to end today.”

Mac earned the right to face Grinnell by cruising to a 2-0 MIAC championship victory over the Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers last Saturday.

“Before the [Concordia] game we were all really excited and pumped up and that carried over into the game,” Borton said.

Mac’s second championship game in two years commenced at an aggressive pace on a pleasant, 62-degree evening. The Cobbers, coming off of a shootout victory over St. Olaf, appeared intent on controlling the tempo of the game. Brief attacks and counter-attacks dominated the initial minutes of play as the teams attempted to score early.

In the second minute, Macalester had the first shot of the game as Borton, the Scots’ leading scorer, forced a quick save from Concordia’s keeper. While the teams continued their rapid-fire play, neither team was able to gain the early advantage.

Mac began to consolidate possession fifteen minutes into the first half, moving most of the action to Concordia’s side of the field.

At 18:37 into the contest, Borton had a second chance to score. After Concordia committed a foul near midfield, defender and MIAC Player of The Week Cara Goff ’06 sent an excellent ball into the box that Borton gathered and netted.

Mac continued to determine the course of play for the remainder of the half, firing nine shots compared to the Cobbers’ three and holding a 5-1 advantage on corner-kicks. Keeper Louisa Bigelow ’06 controlled the Scots’ goalie box, never allowing Concordia’s limited threats to materialize. Mac did not score again before halftime, but with 45 minutes expired, the Scots looked to be in charge of the game.

The second half began much like the first half ended as Mac continued to maintain possession, driving deep into the Cobbers’ half of the field. Meanwhile, Mac’s defense shut down the Concordia-Moorhead offense, holding the Cobbers’ forward Morgan Bain, the MIAC’s new record-holder for goals in a season, to just two shots.

The Cobbers’ offense had averaged over three goals a game during the regular season. Sixty-two minutes into the game, Goff curved Mac’s fifth corner kick of the half past Concordia’s keeper and into the net, giving the Scots a 2-0 advantage. At this point, the Scots assumed complete control of the game. “Everything clicked and it was a lot of fun to play” Borton said.

Concordia could not get another shot or corner kick off, as Mac opted to retain the ball and kill the clock. With one minute left Mac’s fans began jingling their cars keys, politely wishing the Cobbers’ a safe ride home. The final horn sounded, and for the second year in a row, Macalester became the MIAC champion.