NORTHFIELD, Minn. --   Brennan Johnson (Jr./Portland, Ore./Grant) scored his third game-winning goal in a row for the Carleton College men's soccer team, as they knocked off Bethel University, 3-0, in the first match of the MIAC season. As dominant as the Knights were on the pitch—out-shooting the Royals by a whopping 30-2 margin—this match also symbolized the dominance that Bob Carlson has had from Carleton's coaching-box over the last 23 seasons, as the victory was the 250th of his career.

Carlson now owns a career 250-130-42 (.642) coaching record, including a 182-68-30 (.704) ledger over the last 15 years. He is tops in the MIAC and 28th among active D-III coaches in career victories.

The Knights (5-1-0, 1-0-0 MIAC) came out of the gates hot, outshooting the visiting Royals (4-3-0, 0-1-0 MIAC) by an 18-1 margin in the first half alone. Carleton finished the afternoon with 10 corner kicks compared to none for Bethel and owned the edge in time of possession 59 to 41 percent.
 
The reigning MIAC playoff champions opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Marco da Cunha (So./San Francisco, Calif./San Francisco University) made a scintillating run down the left wing. He then threaded a low pass into the box, finding Johnson who one-touched the ball past the Bethel keeper.
 
Carleton had a handful of more great looks before the half ended, highlighted by a Kamran Kelly (Sr./St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Central) freekick taken from the midfield line which came inches away from floating into the bottom right corner of the net.
 
In the second half it was once again all Knights, as the pitch remained tilted towards the Royals' goal. In the 51st minute Carleton took advantage of their numerous corner kick opportunities when Henry Koelling (So./Ann Arbor, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) won the ball off a scrum in the center of the box and rocketed a shot just under the crossbar.
 
A beautiful team goal made the score line final, as Justin Crawmer (Fy./Urbandale, Iowa/Waukee) made a long diagonal pass to the into the box, Trevor Jones (Fy./Urbandale, Iowa/Waukee) headed the ball across the front of the net, and Charlie Hall (So./Lagrange, Ill./Lyons Township) calmly tapped home the ball.
 
Goalies Aaron Forman (Jr./Los Angeles, Calif./Windward School) and Ethan Saucedo (Fy./Agoura Hills, Calif.) combined for the shutout in net, Carleton's fourth in their first five games.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Carleton will take a break from MIAC play and will take on the College of St. Scholastica on Saturday, Sept. 21st at 12:00 p.m. in Duluth, Minn.