NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Marco da Cunha scored the lone goal of the game midway through the second half, as visiting Carleton College defeated the St. Olaf College men's soccer team, 1-0, in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) match-up between the crosstown rivals on Wednesday at Rolf Mellby Field.
With the score deadlocked at 0-0, da Cunha got past two St. Olaf (3-9-0, 2-5-0 MIAC) defenders and scored on a breakaway in the 67th minute for the game's only goal for Carleton (10-1-1, 3-1-1 MIAC). Eight of the Oles' nine losses this season have come by a single goal.
Carleton had a chance to take an early lead in the first half when Alvin Bierley broke through the St. Olaf defense and had a one-on-one chance against senior goalkeeper
Ben Westermeyer, but shot high and wide of the goal to keep the score even at 0-0.
A little more than 10 minutes into the second half, da Cunha had a chance to put the Knights on top, but Westermeyer again denied him when da Cunha was through on goal and punched out the rebound for a corner.
Westermeyer finished the game with five saves, including a diving stop on a Bierley free kick with 11 minutes to go to keep it a one-goal game. Sophomore
Thierno Gueye had two of St. Olaf's three shots on goal in the game.
Next up for the Oles is a trip to Moorhead on Saturday, Oct. 13 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Concordia (Minn.).
