ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The most prolific offensive performance in Carleton College men's soccer playoff history powered the No. 5-seeded Knights past the No. 4 seed Bethel University 5-2 in the MIAC Quarterfinals. Carleton was keyed to victory by a hat trick from Ben Pennell and a trio of assists by Owen Flanagan.

"What a complete performance in really difficult conditions," said Carleton head coach Bob Carlson. "We showed the grit and fight needed to advance, but there is so much more work to do. Credit to Bethel for a great season."
 
This contest was one between the Knights (12-4-3, 6-4-0 MIAC)—the team with the longest playoff qualification streak in MIAC history at 17 consecutive—and a Bethel (11-8-0, 6-4-0 MIAC) squad making its third-ever MIAC playoff appearance and playing its first postseason home game. Perhaps it was that gulf in experience that led to the events of the opening moments, as the visitors worked the ball out from the back to the top of the Bethel 18-yard box just a minute after kickoff. There, Pennell played across to Flanagan. Flanagan picked out Pennell on a return pass, and the 2023 All-Region striker tucked a low shot into the net to mark his fifth consecutive game with a goal. Less than two minutes into the contest the Knights had the lead.
 
The pair combined once again in the 24th minute, with Flanagan laying a ball forward, and Pennell running onto it in the box and finishing neatly for his second goal of the game.
 
Nine minutes later, set-piece specialist Dylan Fox-Arnold clipped a free kick from just inside the left touchline to the back post, where Alexander Grosse met the ball on the run with a sliding finish, netting his third goal of the season.
 
The Knights' dream first half was not over, as a goal kick started an end-to-end attack that ended with Flanagan pushing a pass to the right wing for substitute Willan Shrock, who took two touches and skimmed a shot off the rain-slicked grass and into the bottom corner.
 
Bethel clawed a goal back before the intermission, as Carter Sheard got onto a loose ball in the box, and his shot took a fortuitous deflection off a defender to get the hosts on the board.
 
Bethel continued its resurgence in the second half, as Will Swanda jumped onto a blocked shot outside the box and hit a hard, dipping volley under the bar to make it 4-2 in the 52nd minute.
 
However, the comeback for the higher-seeded Royals was not to be, as Jonathan Vonderlage ran into the Bethel half in the 57th minute, and spotted Pennell on the overlap. The junior opened up and completed his hat trick into the far corner, putting the match beyond reach.
 
Carleton outshot the Royals 15-14 (7-3 in shots on goal), while Bethel took eight corners to the Knights' five.
 
Pennell's hat trick was the first by a Knight since Charlie Hall scored three penalty kicks against St. Scholastica on Oct. 23, 2021. It was also the first Carleton hat trick in postseason play. Pennell's trio of goals moved him to 22 goals and 57 points (22g, 13a) on his career, 11th and 10th-most in Carleton history respectively (see charts below).
 
Flanagan became the fourth Carleton player to record three assists in one game, and the first to do so since Simon Genet on Oct. 4, 2011 against Northwestern. The senior now has 28 points on the season (11g, 6a), the fifth-most by a Carleton player in one campaign. On his career, the midfielder is sixth in the Carleton books for points with 63 (25g, 13a) and tied for fifth with 25 goals (see charts below).
 
This was easily the most goals Carleton has ever scored in a postseason game, with the previous high of three goals occurring twice as the Knights edged Knox College 3-2 (9 OT) in the 1978 Midwest Conference championship and blanked the University of St. Thomas 3-0 in the 2009 MIAC Semifinals.
 
Today's rout of Bethel is tied for the second-highest scoring output ever in a MIAC playoff game:
• #1 Gustavus Adolphus College 6, #4 Saint John's University 2 in 2019 semifinals
• #1 University of St. Thomas 5, #3 Macalester College 2 in 2017 finals
• #5 Carleton 5, #4 Bethel in 2024 quarterfinals

Up Next for the Knights
Carleton continues its postseason run, as the No. 5 seeded Knights will play a MIAC semifinal at either top seed Gustavus Adolphus or regular-season co-champions and No. 2 seed St. Olaf College, depending on the results of the other quarterfinal later tonight. No matter the opponent, Carleton's semifinal is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7 at 2:00 P.M.
 
Most Career Goals in Carleton Men's Soccer History
1. 41 – Branden McGarrity – 2012-15
2. 35 – Tim Wills – 2008-11
3. 28 – Bobby Phillips – 2005-08
4. 26 – Marco da Cunha – 2018-21
5. 25 – Yemi Adegunju – 2001-04
6. 25 – Owen Flanagan – 2021-present
7. 24 – Ron Sanders – 1962-64
7. 24 – George Monyemangene – 1985-88
7. 24 – David Watson – 2002-05
10. 23 – Ken Tape – 1995-98
11. 22 – Ben Pennell – 2022-present
 
Most Career Points in Carleton Men's Soccer History
1.         103 – Tim Wills (35g 33a) – 2008-11
2.         99 – Branden McGarrity (41g, 17a) – 2012-15
3.         78 – Bobby Phillips (28g, 22a) – 2005-08
4.         72 – David Watson (24g 24a) – 2002-05
5.         66 – Marco da Cunha (26g 14a) – 2018-21
6.         63 – Owen Flanagan (25g 13a) – 2021-present
7.         62 – George Monyemangene (24g 14a) – 1985-88
8.         59 – Ken Tape (23g 13a) – 1995-98
9.         58 – Will Corcoran (20g 18a) 2010-13
10.       57 – Ben Pennell (22g 13a) – 2022-present
 
Most Points in a Season in Carleton Men's Soccer History
1.         42 -- Branden McGarrity (19g 4a) -- 2012
2.         34 -- Simon Ginet (12g 10a) -- 2012
3.         33 – Ben Pennell (13g 7a) – 2023
4.         32 – George Monyemangene (13g, 6a) – 1987
5.         28 – Tim Wills (7g 14a) – 2009
5          28 – Tim Wills (10g, 8a) – 2010
5.         28 – Owen Flanagan (11g 6a) – 2024