ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College men's soccer team scored a pair of first-half goals 67 seconds apart and never looked back in defeating Hamline University, 4-1 Saturday afternoon at Paterson Field. The Scots are now 12-4 overall and 7-2 in the conference. The Pipers drop to 9-6-3, 1-6-2 MIAC.

After the games of the day were completed, Macalester currently sits in second place in the MIAC standings. A win against Bethel in the regular season finale on Friday clinches second place and a first-round bye in the MIAC Playoffs for the Scots. 

In the 37th minute, junior midfielder Kasdan Blattman (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine) took a free kick from just outside the penalty area to the left of the goal and placed a shot inside the near post for a 1-0 lead. A minute and seven seconds later, first year midfielder Milan Shah (Chicago, Ill./Francis W. Parker) was taken down in the Hamline penalty area. Shah took the ensuing penalty kick and beat Pipers' goalkeeper Alec Setterberg to his right, giving Macalester a sudden 2-0 advantage.

In the 60th minute, senior midfielder Ondieki Maina (Kensington, Calif./El Cerrito) raced down the right side and sent a pass across the middle to junior forward Zach Liptzin (Denver, Colo./Northfield), who blasted a shot into the left side of the goal for a 3-0 lead. It was Liptzin's team-leading sixth goal of the season. First year midfielder Gaven Johnson (Harrison, Ohio/William Henry Harrison) tallied an unassisted goal in the 81st minute for a 4-0 advantage. Hamline's Chris Palma scored for the Pipers in the 90th minute to prevent the shutout.

Junior goalkeeper Drew Moseman (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Central) made one save and Setterberg recorded five saves, as the Scots held an 18-6 advantage in shots taken.

Macalester, which has already clinched a berth in the MIAC Playoffs, wraps up the regular season on Friday, Oct. 31 with a home game against Bethel University. The MIAC contest begins at 7:30 p.m. at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium.