NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College men’s soccer team knocked off the University of St. Thomas, 3-0, to celebrate Homecoming at Bell Field. Henry Koelling (Fy./Ann Arbor, Mich,/Detroit Catholic Central), Nicolas Grase (Sr./Verona, Wis./Verona), and Marco de Cunha (Fr./San Francisco, Calif./San Francisco University) each scored for the home team.
St. Thomas (7-3-1, 3-2-1 MIAC) was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation earlier this season and is still receiving votes in the top-25 poll, but it was the Carleton (9-1-1, 2-1-1 MIAC) that controlled play throughout this game. The Knights did not permit the visitors to even attempt a shot on goal until the 88th minute and out-shot the Tommies by a 17-8 tally.
Koelling got the scoring started in the 23rd minute when his header off a corner kick was blocked by a St. Thomas defender, but the Carleton rookie got his own rebound and blasted a shot off a Tommie and into the back of the net for the first goal of Koelling’s career. That proved to be the game winner as Carleton improved to 12-3 versus the Tommies since 2008.
Any chance for a Tommie comeback was greatly reduced when Lucas Horton picked up a pair of yellow cards within the first 13 minutes of the second half, giving the Knights a man advantage they would make the most of.
In the 73rd minute, Tarek Bos-Shadi (So./Bradley, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) led a three-on-one scoring opportunity for Carleton, forcing a save from the St. Thomas goalie. Graese was right there however to coolly trap the deflection and calmly tapped the ball into the net for his third goal of the season.
With the clock winding down de Cunha added the final goal in the 90th minute when he chipped his team leading sixth goal of the season in over the keeper.
Aaron Forman (So./Los Angeles, Calif./Windward) secured his fourth shutout of the season for the Knights in goal, and did a masterful job controlling the box all game long.
This victory continues Carleton’s 7-game unbeaten streak, during which they have managed to outscore their opponents 29-3.
Up next, the Knights will hit the road to take on rival St. Olaf College on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 4:00 p.m. Knights Online will have links to live stats and live video for this conference clash.
