NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College women's soccer team blanked Macalester College, 1-0, to cement its status as MIAC leaders.
For the second time in four days, conference-leading Carleton (11-1-1, 7-0-1 MIAC) faced a squad sitting in second place in the MIAC standings. This time it was Macalester (8-5-0, 5-2-0 MIAC), a team that had not surrendered a goal during its four-game win streak that was snapped on Tuesday.
The Scots offered a stiff challenge to the Knights, but Carleton was able to earn the win despite Abigail Heuga stopping 15 shots, tied for the highest total by a MIAC goalkeeper this season.
The Knights came out firing, offering eight shots in the first 20 minutes. The best opportunity came when
Cate Patterson whipped in a tight-angle cross to
Casey MacVeagh, who met it with her head and directed a firm try that Heuga reacted quickly to keep out of the net.
The game's lone score came In the 26th minute.
Lauren Caldwell found herself played down the left wing and fired in a low cross that Heuga re-directed but was not able to control.
Kathryn Kresse was in the right place at the right time as the reigning MIAC Offensive Player of the Week quickly flicked loose ball across the line for her team-best sixth goal of the season.
The Knights finished the first half with a 12-2 advantage in shots as Huego had six stops.
The second half began strongly for Carleton, but nearly turned disastrous in the 54th minute as Macalester forwards Mia Brisbin and Julia Hanson combined on a rapid counterattack. Hanson, Macalester's leading scorer, dribbled into the box, cut back and unleashed a shot, but Carleton rookie goalkeeper
Avery Trapp was perfectly positioned and held onto the eye-high ball.
Heuga denied the Knights again in the 57th minute, as
Dylan Baker beat a couple defenders to get within 20 yards, and let loose a right-footed shot. Heuga leapt up and pushed the ball over the crossbar. She repeated the trick in the 78th minute, as
Saheli Patel won a ball played into the box, fell to the ground, scrambled up, and tried to slide a low shot over the line but Heuga registered another stop.
Unable to find the second goal for the remainder of the match, Carleton limited Macalester in turn to a series of long-range efforts, each saved by Trapp. When the whistle blew on the Knights third straight win, Carleton had tallied a 25-9 edge in shots overall, a 16-6 margin shots one goal, and a 9-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Carleton notched its seventh clean sheet of the season, with Trapp making a career-best six saves for her third individual clean sheet.
The Knights now have 22 points in the standings, a seven-point gap over both St. Catherine and Macalester.
The 11-1-1 start is identical to last year's first 13 games, and tied for the second-best 13-game start in program history. Carleton is now 24-3-4 (.839) over the last two seasons.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton travels to St. Paul, Minn. to play Hamline University on Saturday, Oct. 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
