St. Paul, Minn. – The Macalester College men's soccer team played its fourth MIAC contest of the season this afternoon, taking a short trip to Bethel. Macalester held off the Royals and won the match 3-1 and earned its second MIAC victory of the season. The Scots are now 3-3-3 (2-1-1 MIAC).
 
The Scots were quick on the attack. Junior Zade Alafranji (Sacramento, Calif./Sacramento Waldorf School/Davis Legacy) had a shot saved by Bethel's keeper that started a dominating attack for Macalester. In the 28^th minute, junior Branko Sciortino (Los Altos, Calif./Bellermine College Prep) curled a corner into the box, and while the Royals tried to swat it away, Sophomore Julian Evans (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School) kept the ball alive, and senior Jacob Kresnicka (Elmhurst, Ill./York Community) blasted the ball into the back of the net, for his first goal of the season, to give Macalester a 1-0 lead.
 
The Scots picked up right where they left off in the second half. Just a minute and a half in, Alafranji played a through ball to Sciortino who rocketed the ball past the keeper to double Macalester's lead. The Royals would get a goal back in the 63^rd minute, but Macalester regained their two-goal lead in the 69^th minute. Off another Macalester corner, first year Nick Kent (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Louis Park) got his head to it first, sending it back across the box for sophomore Hans Haenicke (Lisle, Ill./ Benet Academy) to head into the back of the net. Sophomore goalkeeper Sam Price (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) had five saves in the half, seven total, to aid the Scots in the 3-1 victory.
 
Macalester's next competition will be Saturday Oct. 1 at 3:30 p.m. where the Scots will host the Pipers of Hamline University for another conference game.