NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Carleton College women’s soccer team (6-5-4, 4-2-3 MIAC) earned a 1-1 double-overtime draw with Concordia College, the No. 7 team in the nation. The Knights got a first-half goal from rookie Marlena Hartman-Filson (Evergreen, Colo./Colorado Academy) and nearly pulled off the historic upset.
While Concordia (14-0-1, 8-0-1 MIAC) salvaged a tie, they were unable to escape with their bid for a perfect season intact. The Cobbers entered the day as one of only three unbeaten or untied teams in the country. Only No. 2 Williams College and No. 4 Trinity University (Texas) remain in that category. This was Concordia’s first non-victory since falling 3-0 to Carleton in the finals of the 2008 MIAC Playoffs.
Undaunted by Concordia’s accolades, the Knights—who are tied for 10th in the latest NSCAA North Region listing—were the first team to strike. Thirty minutes into the match, Megan Milligan (Jr./Las Cruces, N.M.) sent a pass over the top of the Cobber defense which Hartman-Filson touched past goalkeeper Ali Nelson for her second goal of the season. The Knights staved off Concordia’s counterattacks for the remainder of the period, and went into the half with a 1-0 lead.
The Knights couldn’t quite contain the Cobbers potent offense for much longer. Only ten minutes into the second half, Concordia evened the score when Sam Johnson, the MIAC’s leading scorer, tapped Abby Habein’s corner kick into the net.
Four second-half saves by Carleton goalie Beth Ashinsky (Fy./Mount Kisco, N.Y./Horace Greeley) denied the Cobbers another league victory despite a 9-1 shot advantage in the period. The Knights’ single shot of the half nearly delivered a miraculous upset, but Liz Arakaki’s (Jr./Seattle, Wash./Nathan Hale) strike in the 78thy minute hit off the post.
Offensive control shifted to Carleton in the overtime sessions, where the Knights outshot the visitors, 4-1. Yet again Carleton’s bid for a victory narrowly went awry when Hartman-Filson’s shot in double overtime careened off the goalpost.
The Knights hit the road for a non-conference contests against regionally-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Sunday.
With only two conference games remaining, the Knights are three points out of the fourth and final playoff spot. They wrap up the regular season with games at St. Catherine University on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and versus St. Olaf College on Saturday, Oct. 31.
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