After trailing Gustavus Adolphus all season, men's soccer finally got the break it needed when the Gusties slipped to a 2–1 loss to Bethel last Tuesday.

The Scots took full advantage of their good fortune, winning 3–0 at Concordia-Moorhead last Wednesday to climb atop the MIAC standings for the first time this season.

If Macalester defeats Gustavus at home tonight, the Scots will clinch their second consecutive MIAC title and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Championships with one game remaining. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Macalester Stadium.

The Scots (11–4–1, 7–0–1 MIAC) have 16 points with two conference matches remaining while Gustavus (11–3–1, 7–1–0 MIAC) trails by one point.


Macalester-Gustavus: The MIAC's newest rivalry


The Macalester-Gustavus late-season fixture has major conference championship implications for the third straight season. In the final game of the 2000 season, the Scots were minutes away from clinching the conference championship at home before the Gusties scored a late goal to tie the game at 2–2. After Gustavus scored again in overtime, a stunned Macalster crowd watched the Gustavus team and fans celebrate their championship on the field.

Last season, the Scots avenged the loss with a 3–1 win in St. Peter, clinching the title with two games remaining as they steamrolled to a perfect record in MIAC play.

After graduating several star players, including record-setting striker Kimani Williams '02 and All-American defender Brendan Mayer '02, the Scots were not expected to assume their usual role as favorites this season. However, head coach John Leaney has instilled a resilient attitude in this year's team, and they are within grasp of the MIAC title—which would only be a just reward for the team's efforts this season.

"Last year's game against Gustavus wasn't as big, but this year, we weren't so much expected to be at this point," said goalkeeper Mike Madigan '03. "But we knew we had the potential."

While past Macalester teams were known for their explosive offenses, this year's squad is a grittier unit, relying on an airtight defense and persistent pressure to get results.

"Instead of having a group of guys to count on, we've had to play harder and do it as a team," said forward Brendan Viele '05.

Macalester's back line has performed admirably despite the absence of key starters from last year. The Scots have shut out their opponents in 11 out of their 15 games this season.

"Stu [Peacock '05] has been tough, he's a smart sweeper," Viele said. "And we have a good balance of size and speed with Alex [Stanko'06] and Devin Homme '06. Most teams either have one big forward or one fast forward, so we can match up against most teams.

"This year, we're defending a lot better in the midfield, and our forwards put the defense under a lot more pressure than last year," Viele added. "This really helps the defense and Madigan, who's been outstanding this year."

Gustavus has been in the top 25 of the NSCAA/Adidas national rankings for most of the season. The Gusties climbed up to eighth overall at one point, but now sit at 16th in last Monday's rankings; they are ranked second in the West region.

Despite the loss of several key players to graduation, Gustavus has been led by a new core of seniors this season. Striker Eric Carl, the team's top scorer with nine goals this season, has been their primary target up front. Carl's aerial prowess is complimented by the speed of forward Fru Ngwa, and the strike partnership should provide a stern test for the Scots' defense. Most of the team's midfield play will revolve around Danny Dietl, and all-conference defender Adam MacLeod-Ruth will try to contain Macalester's speedy forwards.

The Scots are hoping that tonight's home-field advantage can give the team an extra edge against the Gusties. "When we play at home, everybody gets that extra push," Madigan said.


Scots crush Cobbers in Wednesday matinee


Although Wednesday's matchup against last-place Concordia-Moorhead looked like a blowout on paper, the Scots knew better than to take the Cobbers lightly. Nevermind the long road trip to play in the snow at 12 noon; the Cobbers had lost nine consecutive one-goal games and were hungry for an upset.

The Scots were also keen to capitalize on their chance to take over first place. "Coach [John] Leaney told us to treat it like a playoff game," said backup goalkeeper Tyler Morken-Simmers '04.

The Scots, who missed several players including winger Eric Nordstrom '05 due to injuries, set out to take control of the game early. It was only midway through the first half, however, that the Scots began gain the upper hand. In the 32nd minute, Rob Swick '05 swung in a tantalizing cross from the left wing over the defense, and Stefan Dourge '06 connected with a looping header into the far side of the goal to give the Scots the lead. The goal was the first in Dourge's career.

The Cobbers battled back and nearly tied the score before the half, but two stellar saves by Madigan preserved the Scots' lead.

In the second half, it was all Macalester. The Scots peppered Concordia's goal with shots, but the insurance goal did not come until the 84th minute when Nathan Knox '04 fired home from the top of the box. The Scots added one more for the road with two minutes left after a great build-up. After Peter Randall '06 ran onto a ball from Swick into the left corner, his cross flew over the keeper and was banged home by Dourge for his second goal of the game.


Scots split in Wisconsin over fall break


Men's soccer split two non-conference games in Wisconsin over fall break. Last Friday, the Scots won 1–0 in overtime against Wisconsin-Oshkosh before falling 3–0 to Wisconsin-Whitewater last Sunday.

Last Friday's game against UW-Oshkosh was expected to be a close matchup—the Scots entered the game ranked eighth in the West region while the Titans were ranked fourth in the Central.There was little separating the teams in the first half, as both sides shared equal possession in the rainy conditions.The Scots came close to breaking through the Titans' defenses, but goalkeeper Ryan Dineen denied Viele twice. After the break, the home side began to take control of the game, but solid marking by the Macalester defense held the Titans in check.

As was the case in many games this season, the Scots' persistent effort was eventually rewarded. Six minutes into overtime, a free-kick by Devin Homme '06 along the wet surface was mishandled by Dineen, and Wissler pounced on the rebound and scored the golden goal.

Two days later, the Scots were faced with another tough non-conference challenge in the form of UW-Whitewater, the Central region's sixth-ranked team. This time, however, the usually reliable Macalester defense, hampered by injuries and fatigue, was exposed by the Warhawks' attack.

The Scots changed their lineup after several players picked up injuries against Oshkosh, and by the time the team had found its rhythm, two great strikes from the Warhawks put the Scots in a 2–0 hole just 10 minutes into the game.

Macalester tried desperately to find a way back into the game and appeared to have won a penalty soon afterwards when Randall was taken down in the box but no call was made.

In the second half, Macalester pushed players forward but could not create any threatening chances on offense. As the final whistle approached, Whitewater added a third goal, pouncing on a loose ball and scoring on the counterattack to finish the Scots.

After this weekend's results, Macalester remains the eighth-ranked team in the West region.