ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College men's soccer team suffered a 5-2 loss to fifth-ranked St. Thomas in the championship game of the MIAC Playoffs Saturday afternoon at St. Thomas' South Field. The Scots, who advanced to the MIAC final for the second year in a row, are now 12-6-2, while the Tommies improve to 19-1.
Macalester struck first in the 36th minute, as junior defender
Clayton Smith (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) knocked in the rebound off a shot by senior midfielder
Zach Moore (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah). It was the second goal of the playoffs for Smith, who scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Carleton in Tuesday's quarterfinal match.
The Tommies pulled even less than five minutes into the second half on a goal by Justin Oliver. Oliver then put St. Thomas on top with his second goal of the game in the 67th minute. Kevin Van Lieshout made it a two-goal lead with his tally in the 76th minute. Twenty-seven seconds later, senior midfielder
Jake Burke (Dublin, Ireland/Shattuck St. Mary's) blasted a free kick from 25 yards out off the crossbar and in to cut the deficit to 3-2.
But the Tommies would come right back, as Christian Elliehausen scored less than a minute after Burke's goal to put the hosts up by two again, 4-2. Elliehausen's goal was the third tally in an 84-second stretch. Pierce Erickson closed out the scoring with a goal in the 85th minute.
Both goalkeepers were busy, as the teams combined for 17 shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper
Colton Wenig (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) registered five saves for Macalester, with St. Thomas' Aidan Hogan also making five saves. The Tommies held a slight 13-10 edge in shots taken for the game.
The Scots have made the MIAC Playoffs for four consecutive years. This year's senior class is the only group in the history of the program to qualify for the MIAC Playoffs all four years since the creation of the conference playoffs in 2003.
2017 MIAC Men's Soccer Tournament
Quarterfinals - Oct. 31
#3 Macalester 1, Carleton 0
#4 Hamline 1, #5 Saint John's 0, OT
Semifinals - Nov. 1
#1 St. Thomas 3, #4 Hamline 1
#3 Macalester 1, #2 Gustavus 0
Finals - Nov. 4
#1 St. Thomas 5, #3 Macalester 2
