MOORHEAD, Minn. — Playing without either of its captains, the Carleton College men’s soccer team still emerged victorious, 3-0, in a potentially season-defining conference matchup at Concordia College. The result moved the Knights into a four-way tie for fifth place in the MIAC standings.
The Knights (6-3-2, 2-2-1 in MIAC) capitalized on a strong showing from their senior contingent: Danny Leal (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake) and Peter Passalino (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) both scored, and Alex Griese (Melbourne, Fla./Hun School of Princeton) tallied two assists.
Leal got the Knights on the board in the 31st minute, scoring around the wall off a free kick from about 22 yards out. It was his fourth tally of the season.
Five minutes later, Griese almost scored an acrobatic bicycle kick from eight yards away but his shot rattled off the crossbar.
Mikkel Sawyer (Fy./Red Wing, Minn./St. Paul Central) scored his second goal as a Knight in the 66th minute to extend the Carleton lead. He played Leal and then continued his run into the box. Leal took a couple touches across the box and passed the ball to Griese, who took a touch down the line before delivering a well-placed cross that Sawyer slid past the Cobber keeper.
The Leal-Griese combo figures in the Knights’ 71st-minute insurance tally. Leal again dribbled across the box and found Griese on the opposite wing. Griese sent the ball back across to the far post and Passalino finished the play with a convincing header.
The Knights finished with a 16-5 advantage in shots and an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Carleton goalie Brandon Hilliard (Jr./Anoka, Minn./Totino Grace) and the Carleton back line turned in their fifth shutout of the season. Hilliard finished with three saves on the day.
The Knights return home to face Hamline University on Wednesday, Oct 2 at 4 p.m. Live video/stats of that match will be available via Knights Online.
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