NORTHFIELD, Minn. - In a non-conference clash with regionally-ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the Carleton College men's soccer team was defeated, 1-0, by virtue of a very late goal from the visitors.
 
As it was on Saturday, the temperature in Northfield was unseasonably warm, with temperatures in the mid-70s. The wind, however, was much stronger than the day before was a factor thorughout the game.
 
The Knights (7-6-3) were playing for the second straight day, having earned a hard-fought draw against College of St. Scholastica on Saturday. The Blugolds (17-2-0) had two full days of rest since they last played a match and feature one of the top scoring duos in the country.
 
It was this duo for UW-Eau Claire that presumed to strike gold in the first half, with Carter Thiesfeld finding the head of Nathan Donovan off of a free kick. But the goal was called back due to a Blugold foul in the box. With the wind at their backs, the visitors would win the shot battle 8-5 over Carleton in the first half, but the Knights defense held strong.
 
With the teams switching halves after intermission, the Knights immediately got on the front foot. While the possession was not severely in favor of the hosts over the final 45 minutes, the shots were. In the 54th minute, Ben Pennell (Fy./San Francisco, Calif./Lick-Wilmerding) made a fantastic run through the UW-Eau Claire back line and placed a beautiful shot past the keeper, but it rung off the right woodwork. The shot was one of 11 the Knights fired off in the second period, with the trio of Pennell, Jonathan Vonderlage (Fy./Seattle, Wash./Lakeside), and Owen Flanagan (So./San Francisco, Calif./San Francisco University) accounting for 10 of 16 on the afternoon for the home side.
 
Meanwhile, the gusting wind and play by the Carleton backline prevented the Bluegolds from even attempting a shot for nearly the entire second half. In the 88th minute, the visitors got the ball to Donovan, who took it himself to the endline and crossed it in to Will Miers for the game-winning header.
 
Even with the losing effort, Carleton managed to hold a Blugolds team averaging almost three goals per game stagnant for most of the second half. Leo Kugel (Fy./Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) made a pair of saves in his first taste of collegiate action between the goalposts.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Before Carleton turns its attention to the MIAC Playoffs, the lone game remaining on the regular season schedule is a matchup against Saint John's University (6-5-3, 3-4-1 MIAC), which is also in a dogfight for a spot in the conference tournament. Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 29 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.