PHOTO GALLERY BY GEOFFREY MO '19
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College men’s soccer team triumphed, 2-0, over crosstown rival St. Olaf College on Saturday behind spectacular second-half goals from seniors Riley Phelps (Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green) and Danny Leal (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake).
Carleton (8-4-3 overall, 4-2-2 MIAC) has now gone 4-1-1 over its last six matches and has climbed from seventh into a tie for second in the conference standings with only two matches remaining in the regular season.
Carleton’s staunch defense has become a regular occurrence, as goalkeeper Brandon Hilliard (Jr./Anoka, Minn./Totino Grace) and the back line have now registered shutouts in four consecutive conference games. Centerback Kevin Doyle (Sr./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) and midfielder Adam Pearson (So./Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) helped limit St. Olaf to just two shots all game. Outside backs Mark Roth (So./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) and KC Onuoha (Sr./The Woodlands, Texas/The John Cooper School), last week’s MIAC Player-of-the-Week, each played major roles on both sides of the ball, providing high-intensity play all 90 minutes.
Despite the strong all-around play, Carleton was unable to break through in the first half against a St. Olaf (6-3-6, 3-1-4 MIAC) defense that has only allowed four goals in conference play this year.
Phelps changed the tune of the affair with an audacious strike in the 56th minute. The laser left-footed goal from nearly 25 yards out was his MIAC-leading eighth of the year.
Now up 1-0, the Knights maintained the pressure and were rewarded just minutes later. In the 66th minute, Leal stole the ball on the right wing and dashed around two defenders into the box. From a nearly impossible angle to right of the goal, Leal unleashed an impeccable shot into the top left corner of the net, thrilling the already raucous crowd of several hundred with his fifth goal of the year.
The Knights will host conference leader and national No. 6-ranked university of St. Thomas on Tuesday, Oct. 25 in another matchup with huge playoff implications. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 at Bell Field, and live video and stats will once again be available via Knights Online
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