ST. PAUL, Minn. – After surrendering a first-half goal on a penalty kick, the Macalester College men's soccer team fought back with three goals in the second half to earn a MIAC victory over St. Scholastica, 3-1 Tuesday evening at a chilly John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium. Macalester improves to 11-4 overall, including a 6-2 mark in conference play to remain in third place in the MIAC standings. The Saints fall to 2-11-4, 2-5-1 MIAC.
The victory also clinches a berth in the MIAC Playoffs for Macalester, which has qualified for the conference playoffs 11 consecutive seasons.
In the 29th minute, a foul was called on a Macalester player in the Scots' penalty area. Gabriel Marchesoni converted the ensuing penalty kick for a 1-0 Saints' lead. Macalester took four shots and put two on frame over the final 16 minutes of the first half, but St. Scholastica maintained its one-goal lead.
Eighteen minutes into the second half the Scots finally broke through. Senior midfielder
Ondieki Maina (Kensington, Calif./El Cerrito) gathered in a loose ball and sent a pass up to junior forward
Chris Frantz (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove), who shot the ball into the left side of the goal from 15 yards out to tie the score at 1-1. Less than six minutes later, Maina jumped on an errant pass from a St. Scholastica defender intended for the goalkeeper and put the ball into the empty goal for a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute. Then in the 75th minute, a centering pass by sophomore midfielder
Jonathan Kim (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) was deflected by a St. Scholastica defender into the goal for an own goal and a 3-1 Macalester lead.
First year goalkeeper
Justin Ratner (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) made a big save in the 84th minute on a shot by Parker Chastey to keep the Saints from getting any closer. Ratner finished with three saves, as the Scots held a 13-5 advantage in shots taken. Ben Hallberg registered five saves for St. Scholastica.
Macalester takes on Hamline on the road this Saturday, Oct. 25 in the next-to-last MIAC game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.
