BLAINE, Minn. – Playing in front of a raucous contingent of fans, the Carleton College men’s soccer team posted a 4-0 victory over host Bethel University. This was the Knights’ sixth consecutive triumph as they have now outscored the opposition 19-1 during the win streak.
“It was a great atmosphere here at the National Sports Center, and the guys really responded to it,” said Carleton head coach Bob Carlson. “I sound like a broken record, but we continue to move the ball around really nicely, and it’s helping us create some wonderful scoring chances.”
It took less than five minutes for the Knights (8-3, 6-1 MIAC) to get on the scoreboard. Ryan Cammarota (So./Neenah, Wis.) played a 30-yard diagonal ball behind the Bethel defense, and rookie Tyler Bechtel (Mattawan, Mich.) slotted it past the Royals’ netminder Nick Kantor.
The most spectacular goal of the evening came in the 23rd minute on a counter attack. Tim Wills (So./Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) took a pass just into the Bethel half and held nicely, waiting for Wes Elfman (Jr./Madison, Wis./Edgewood) to make his run right at the defense. The speedster raced past one defender and right between two others, then turned on the jets as Wills perfectly delivered a pass. Elfman gathered the ball at the top right of the box and beat the keeper low and to the far post.
The Knights added their third goal four minutes later. Bethel failed to clear a Carleton corner kick, and the ball was played it back to Ross Hamilton (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township). The senior co-captain blasted a shot into the roof of the net.
Hamilton added his second goal of the night and fourth of the year midway through the second half. Off a quick re-start just outside the 18-yard box, Wills ripped a shot off the left post, and Hamilton beat Kantor to the rebound and deposited the loose ball in the net.
At the other end of the pitch, Pete Semmer (Jr./Del Mar, Calif./Bishop’s School) notched nine saves.
The Knights are now 26-2-3 (.887) overall in MIAC play since Oct. 14, 2006. The own a two-game lead in the conference standings with seven games (three MIAC contests) remaining in the regular season.
Next up is a non-conference tilt against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville at 1:00 p.m. on Sat., October 10. These teams met in the second round of the 2008 NCAA tournament with Carleton prevailing, 1-0.
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