MOORHEAD, Minn. – Five days after being named MIAC Athlete-of-the-Week Branden McGarrity (So/Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) scored his third game-winner in as many matches. This one came in the 100th minute, extending the Carleton College men’s soccer team’s unbeaten streak to 10 matches as the Knights won a 1-0 victory over Concordia College-Moorhead.
“Our back line was rock solid once more, and Keenan Smith was very effective,” said Carleton head coach Bob Carlson. “Hats off to Concordia. It took a very special play from number eight to finally win it and earn a vital three points on the road.” Those three points guaranteed the Knights one of four spots in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.
Carleton (12-1-3, 6-1-1 MIAC) best scoring chance came in the first five minutes, when defender Trent Elmore (So./Bloomington, Ind./Philips Exeter Academy) unleashed a rocket that glanced off the inside of the post and was cleared away.
From that point on, though, both teams found it hard pull the trigger, with Carleton holding a 6-3 shot advantage over the Cobbers (5-10-1, 2-6 MIAC).
The game-winning tally came in the closing seconds of the first overtime period, when Peter Passalino (Fy./Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) lined up for a corner kick. The ball arched through the air, and was flicked on by Devin Tomson-Moylan (Jr./St. Paul, Minn./Central). McGarrity rose above the crowd and finished a full volley smash that hit off the crossbar and deflected into the net.
McGarrity’s goal was his 10th of the season—all in the last 11 contests—and he moved into sole possession of second place in team history with 29 career scores.
Smith made a pair of saves in registering his seventh career shutout.
While the Knights can enjoy the fact that they are headed to the postseason for the seventh straight campaign, Carlson and his squad know that they can’t look ahead and instead have to focus on two very difficult road matches awaiting them this week.
First up is a visit to University of St. Thomas on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. The regular season concludes with the short trip to St. Olaf College, which is tied with Carleton for second in the conference standings, next Saturday.
