ST. PAUL, Minn. – The defense of the Carleton College men's soccer team smothered the Macalester College Scots, and the Knights got just enough on offense to secure an important 1-0 road win.
 
Carleton (8-3-3, 3-3-0 MIAC) put up five shots and two on goal, equaling Macalester's (10-4-0, 4-3-0 MIAC) total, although the home side put three of their shots on net. The Scots had three corners to Carleton's two.
 
The two sides played out a taut first half, with only three combined shots (2-1 Carleton) and no real threats on either goal. Carleton kept over 60 percent of the ball in the opening half,
 
It was going to take opportunism to break a deadlock in a game between a pair of stout defenses, and Carleton rose to the task, winning a free kick in the Macalester half in the 65th minute.
 
The initial attack was thwarted, but the Knights worked the ball to Marc Eidelhoch on the left edge of the box. The senior curled the ball invitingly into the 18, and Dylan Stiffler put a powerful header on goal. Scots' goaltender Sam Price made a lightning-quick save but the ball deflected in the direction of an unmarked Owen Flanagan, who headed into an open net for a team-high and new career-best eighth goal of the season.
 
In minute 78, Stiffler played Dylan Fox-Arnold into the box for the best chance at another goal, but the senior was put off by the goalkeeper and pushed his shot around the post.
 
The Scots received a dangerous free-kick opportunity with four minutes to go, and midfielder Elijah Edelman whipped a pacy shot towards the left post, but Daniel Linder made a save on the dive and held the ball. The visitors withstood a late flurry from Macalester and earned all three standings points.
 
Linder made three saves in total for his third personal clean sheet and the Knights' seventh as a team. It was only the second time Macalester had been shut out this year.
 
Carleton's backline of Hays Turner, Alexander Grosse, Ben Roman, and Eidelhoch prevented Macalester's three scorers this season—two-time All-Region pick Hans Haenicke, Chris Frantz, and Cody Da—from taking a single shot attempt in the contest.
 
Flanagan, the reigning MIAC Offensive Player of the Week, moved into a tie for fourth in the MIAC in goals and sixth in points (19, 8g 3a).
 
With two-and-a-half weeks remaining in the regular season, the Knights now own nine points in the standings, tied with Augsburg University for sixth place in the MIAC. Three other squads—Bethel University, Hamline University, and Macalester—are tied for third at 12 points apiece, but each of those teams has played an extra conference contest.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton returns home this Saturday, Oct. 19 for a 3:30 P.M. contest against Hamline.