NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College women's soccer bettered visiting Bethel University statistically in the MIAC opener, but the Knights still came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 result.
Carleton (3-1-1, 0-1-0 MIAC) held a 65-35 advantage over the Royals (5-0-0, 1-0-0 MIAC) in time of possession. The Knights also outshot the visitors 17-8, and 8-4 in terms of shots on goal. Those 17 shots were nearly double the total amount Bethel had faced coming into the match as the Royals had conceded a mere nine shots across their first four games.
Rachel Waterman scored the game-winning goal in the 17th minute when the Royals launched a counter, ending in Waterman slotting home a right-footed shot into the bottom left of the net.
The Knights nearly equalized in the 26th minute when
Cate Patterson (Fy./Racine, Wis./Prairie School) executed a beautiful cutback dribble, only to see her shot carom off the right post, and
Lily Hurtubise's (So./Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron) follow up chance sky over the crossbar.
The second half saw Carleton continue creating the better chances, yet it unable to get one over the line. In the 46th minute, the Knights again were thwarted by the woodwork, this time when
Annette Shumway (So./Arlington, Va./Yorktown) hit the crossbar while attempting to chip the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.
As the game wound down Carleton kept pressing for the tying goal, with
Nora Mertz (Sr./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) having two great looks late in the contest. Her apparent goal in the 78
th minute was called back due to offsides, and her 88
th minute rocket was turned aside by Bethel goalkeeper Kaylee Peterson.
Anna Roethler (Jr./St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park) kept the score close, finishing with three saves on the afternoon, highlighted by a sprawling save to her right off a close-range blast in the 51st minute.
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Carleton hits the road for the first time all season, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., to take on St. Catherine University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, Sept. 21.
