NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The No. 11-ranked Carleton College men's soccer team continued its white-hot start to the 2023 season with a 6-0 victory over Simpson College with the help of braces from Ben Pennell and Trevor Jones.
 
The Knights (8-0-0) scored their first goal in the third minute. Trevor Jones dribbled into the box but was disposed. A Simpson (3-4-0) defender attempted a clearance, but the ball rocketed off Jones' shin guard and into the back of the net, giving the Carleton midfielder his most unusual score of the campaign.
 
The Knights continued to control possession throughout the first half, but were unable to fight through the Storm's defensive line for a second goal until the 37th minute. Substitute Dylan Fox-Arnold cut into the box from the right flank, spotted the Simpson goalkeeper straying off his line, and chipped the ball perfectly into the far corner for his second goal of the campaign.
 
The first half ended 2-0, but it would not stay that way for long. The Carleton backline rustled the ball away in their own third, then the Knights ripped off a textbook counterattack, as Owen Flanagan led Blake Jones with a lovely through ball. Jones drew the Storm defenders toward him, freeing Pennell at the top of the 18-yard box. Pennell opened up and calmly finished into the side-netting to make it 3-0.
 
Carleton began a blistering stretch in the 55th minute, with Blake Jones and Pennell combining again. Jones found himself alone on the right wing and served a perfect ball on a platter for Pennell unmarked in the box. Pennell nodded the ball home for his brace, and his fifth goal of the season, temporarily tying Trevor Jones for the team lead.
 
The Knights were far from done, however. Only a minute later, Justin Crawmer sent a ball into the box for Trevor Jones, who chested the ball down and swept a tight-angled volley past the diving Simpson goalkeeper, giving Jones his sixth goal on the season, which is a team high, and tied for second in the MIAC.
 
Only three more minutes elapsed before the Knights struck again. The ball was played out to the right for Jonathan Vonderlage, who curled a low ball across the box. Briggs Priem stretched out to get a first touch on the ball and poked the ball over the line with his second touch to complete the day's scoring.
 
Leo Kugel made two saves in notching his second individual shutout of the year. This is the seventh consecutive clean sheet for the Knights, who own a 33-to-1 goal differential this season and have not conceded a goal in 679 minutes, the longest scoreless streak by the Carleton defense since a 735-minute stretch from Oct. 10-Nov. 10, 2012.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton travels to Arden Hills, Minn. to take on Bethel University at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23.