ST. PETER, Minn. – Despite another strong defensive effort, the Carleton College football team lost for the second consecutive week, falling 28-9 at Gustavus Adolphus College. Isaac Simons (Sr./Oconomowoc, Wis./Lake Country Lutheran) had a career-best 15 tackles plus a fumble recovery.
 
Carleton (6-2, MIAC 4-2) limited the Gustavus Adolphus (5-3, MIAC 4-2) high-flying passing attack—which entered the day seventh in the country at 322.0 yards per game—to only 87 yards. Of the 28 points the Gusties scored, seven were result of a blocked punt that gave the hosts the ball at the two-yard line and another touchdown was scored via a pick-6 in the final minute.
 
Three times, the Knights forced the Gusties to settle for short field goals, keeping the game close.
 
After Carleton went three-and-out on its first possession, Gustavus blocked the punt and recovered the ball at the two-yard line. After having a pair of runs stuffed by the Knights, Gustavus went to the air and got the game's first touchdown with 7:04 still to play in the quarter. Skyler Kessenich (Sr./Baltimore, Md./Friends School of Baltimore) blocked the extra-point attempt to keep the score at 6-0.
 
Carleton opened the following drive with a 12-yard pass over the middle from Jonathan Singleton (Sr./San Martin, Calif./Live Oak) to first-year Tyler Dimond (North Grafton, Mass./Grafton). The rookie totaled a game-high 43 receiving yards. The drive eventually resulted in a 42-yard field goal by Trent Ramirez (Sr./Denver, Colo./George Washington), tied for the second-longest successful kick of his career.
 
Gustavus answered back with a 28-yard field goal by Andrew Abegglen right before the close of the first quarter. He added a 21-yard field goal at the 4:02 mark of the second quarter, sending the teams to intermission with the Gusties ahead 12-3.
 
The hosts widened their lead in the third quarter as Jake Breitbach hauled in his second touchdown of the day, this one a 13-yard toss from Andrew Gotziaman at the 7:10 mark.
 
An interception return set the Gusties up with first-and-goal from the five-yard line, but the defense stood firm once again and forced Abegglen to kick another short field goal, extending the home team's lead to 21-3 late in the third quarter.
 
With 2:17 remaining in the contest, Singleton connected with Beau Nelson for a 12-yard touchdown. Carleton missed the extra point, however, one of five missed kicks (field goals and PATs) between the two teams.
 
Carleton got the ball back, but a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed the game for the Gusties.
 
Singleton finished with a season-low 133 passing yards on 41 attempts. He was the team's leading rusher, totaling 57 yards on 15 carries.
 
Rohee Konde totaled 151 yards on 24 rushing attempts to pace the Gustavus offense.
 
Up next for the Knights
Carleton visits No. 4-ranked Saint John's University on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 1:00 p.m. That will be the final divisional game for the Knights, helping determine Carleton's opponent for the season finale the following week.