NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Jordan Cammarota (Sr./Neenah, Wis./Neenah) sliced through the Bethel University defense and delivered the game-winner, leading the Carleton College Men’s Soccer team to a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory.
“We will obviously take the win,” said Carleton head coach Bob Carlson. “We have to clean some things up. We can‘t give up early goals like that. Our concentration level needs to improve. Hats off to Bethel. I thought in many ways they played better than us today.”
The Knights fell behind in the 13th minute when Bethel’s top scorer Ryan Ness lobbed a far-away shot into the top of the Carleton net for his seventh goal of the season.
The Knights fought hard to return the favor, but initially without success despite a 15-4 advantage in shots. Forward Branden McGarrity (Jr./Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) saw a number of well-placed balls blocked by Royals’ goalie Jakob Bartels, who registered six saves on the afternoon.
Cammarota, meanwhile, repeatedly broke from the pack and raced toward the goal—only to have the ball stripped at the last minute by Bethel defenders.
As the game entered the final portion of regulation, action surged back and forth as both teams struggled to establish momentum. Then, in the 77th minute, defender Devin Tomson-Moylan (Sr./St. Paul, Minn./Central) headed home a corner kick from Cammarota, knotting the score, 1-1.
“Devin just got in the right place at the right time,” said Cammarota. “He really hammered that one home for us.”
In the third minute of overtime, Kevin Doyle (So./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) won a header, springing Cammarota for a run down the sideline. Carleton’s leading goal scorer eluded one defender and cut back toward the inside. He then sliced his way through traffic evading two more Royals before curling a shot inside the far post.
“I saw Kevin was clearly going to win the ball, and I started to make my run through. It happened to fall to me, and I headed it down the line, made one cut in. It just happened. It was sweet,” said Cammarota of his fourth goal over the last three games.
Carleton returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 4 when the Knights hit the road to face off against Saint John’s University. The 1 p.m. contest will be a re-match of the 2013 MIAC Playoff Finals.
