COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Carleton College men’s soccer team saw its season-best streak finally snapped as the Knights concluded their trip to Colorado. Not to worry, though, it was simply the shutout streak that came to an abrupt end after nearly 800 minutes. In fact, the Knights seem unfazed by the snowy conditions or by finding the ball in the back of their own net and simply rallied for a 3-1 win over Colorado College behind a goal and an assist from junior Wes Elfman (Madison, Wis./Edgewood).
Carleton (14-3) has now won 12 consecutive games, dating back to Sept. 19, with a 33-to-2 goal differential in those contests. Seven of those dozen victories came in conference play, helping Carleton clinch at least a share of the MIAC regular-season crown a week ago. While sitting in their hotel rooms last night resting for today’s game, the Knights secured the title outright by virtue of St. Thomas’ 2-1 overtime loss at Macalester.
When the Colorado College’s (8-7-1) Matt Fechter knocked home a diving header off a corner kick 12:58 into the game, it marked the first goal allowed by the Carleton defense since Sept. 26, snapping a shutout streak of 791:37 lasting parts of 10 games.
After the slow start, the Knights started to dictate play more often. Elfman tallied the equalizer in the 33rd minute. He intercepted an errant pass at the top left edge of the penalty pox and buried a low, left-footed shot past goalkeeper Brian Engle inside the far post for his seventh score of the season.
As the snow picked up after halftime, so did the Knights attack. In the 53rd minute, Tim Wills (So./Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) played a diagonal ball to Brett Adelman (Sr./Westminster, Colo./Legacy), crating a one-on-one chance against the keeper. Adelman slotted the ball past Engle for his second goal in as many games in his home state.
The final Carleton goal came in the 77th minute. Off a corner kick, Elfman’s one-timer ricocheted off the crossbar, but Courtney Morris (Jr./Lafayette, N.J./Taft School) collected the rebounded and finished it for his second career goal and first of the year.
While the shutout streak was broken, Pete Semmer (Jr./Del Mar, Calif./Bishop’s School) finished with five saves, including a spectacular one-handed stop of a 15-yard shot with three and a half minutes remaining.
While the Knights have already clinched the top seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs, a lot more than bragging rights for another year could be on the line when Carleton travels to cross-town rival St. Olaf for the regular-season finale on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Oles are currently one of four teams tied for second place in the conference race. Depending on what happens over the final week, at least one, and perhaps more, of those teams will miss the postseason.
