PHOTO GALLERY by JP Beaty '19
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – On a rainy afternoon, the Carleton College men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 matchup against visiting University of St. Thomas. It also marked the final regular-season home game for the seven seniors on the Knights roster: Kevin Doyle (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), Alex Griese (Melbourne, Fla./Hun School of Princeton), Danny Leal (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake), KC Onuoha (The Woodlands, Texas/The John Cooper School), Riley Phelps (Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green), and Charles Slocum (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena).
With the result, the Tommies, ranked No. 6 in the latest NSCAA national poll, clinched their first MIAC regular-season title since 1995. Meanwhile, Carleton remains in the hunt for a 10th consecutive playoff berth and a potential postseason rematch with St. Thomas.
One of Carleton’s best scoring chances came early on, when Leal wove through the defense and his shot from the top of the box trickled just wide of the left post in the 14th minute.
The Knights began the game without conceding a goal in the previous 387 of conference play, but St. Thomas’ Mark Heydt broke through in the 70th minute with what would be the game-winner.
Seeking the equalizer, Carleton peppered the Tommies with a flurry of late chances as the clock wound down in the second half. It appeared that the Knights had found a crack in the St. Thomas defense—ranked No. 1 in all three divisions of NCAA Men’s Soccer—when Phelps’ cross bounced free inside the box, but Tommie goalkeeper Grant Larson was finally able to pounce on the loose ball.
Following Tuesday’s results elsewhere in the conference, the Knights slipped out of a second-place tie and are currently fourth in the MIAC standings (with the St. Olaf at Augsburg still to be played on Tuesday evening). Carleton closes the regular season at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minn., and a win or tie will clinch a playoff spot for the Knights.
-------------------
