PHOTO GALLERY BY JP BEATY '19 and HUGH O'CONNOR '20
NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- The Carleton College men’s soccer team bowed out of the MIAC Playoffs on Tuesday, dropping the quarterfinal match, 3-0, to visiting Saint John’s University.
When these sides played during the regular season, the contest featured a combined 35 shots before the Johnnies (7-8-3, 6-4-1 MIAC) prevailed in overtime. That contest featured back-and-forth attacking and thrilling changes of momentum for both sides.
The postseason matchup felt entirely different. Carleton (9-6-3, 5-4-2 MIAC) struggled all day to find an offensive rhythm, as the Knights were credited with only five shots.
The Johnnies struck in the 35th minute when Dylan Lehrer slammed the ball home in a scramble following a corner kick.
With thoughts of a comeback still at the front of the Knights’ minds, a Johnnie was tripped up in Carleton’s box, and Rocky Harmon converted the ensuing penalty kick to extend the visitors’ lead to 2-0.
Now in full desperation mode with its season on the line, Carleton switched to a three-man back line. The urgency on attack and strong play from outside back Stephen Baisch (Jr./Williamstown, Mass./Deerfield Academy) helped create a number of chances for the Knights, but a goal on a Saint John’s counterattack in the 87th minute proved fatal to the hosts’ comeback dreams.
This was Carleton's first home loss to Saint John's since a 1-0 setback on Oct. 1, 2005.
Today’s match closed the collegiate careers for the seven seniors on the Carleton roster: Kevin Doyle (Sr./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), Alex Griese (Sr./Melbourne, Fla./Hun School of Princeton), Danny Leal (Sr./Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake), KC Onuoha (Sr./The Woodlands, Texas/The John Cooper School), Peter Passalino (Sr./Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), Riley Phelps (Sr./Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green), and Charles Slocum (Sr./South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena).
With the win, Saint John’s advanced to the MIAC semifinals on Wednesday against No. 2 seed Macalester College.
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