On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Carleton men’s and women’s soccer teams progressed to the NCAA Championships after receiving at-large bids, allowing them to skip past the preliminary matches and qualify them for the championships.
This marks the first time since 2010 and the fourth time in the program’s history that the women’s soccer team has made it to the NCAA Championships. For the second consecutive season, they have had a 16-match unbeaten streak in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), and they have not surrendered more than one goal in any game this season. They have a current score record of 16 wins, two draws and three losses.
Head coach Jessica Mueller stated, “My expectations for the women’s team [are] to continue to compete, improve and put our attention on what matters most: each other and our brand of soccer.”
During their first game against California Lutheran University on Saturday, Nov. 11, the Knights lost 3-2, ending their season.
When asked about the Knights making it to the NCAA Championships, Mueller stated that she’s “not surprised these young women have gotten this far. They are talented, determined, focused and joyfully competitive people.”
Nov. 11 also marked the sixth time making it to the NCAA Championships. When asked about his team’s capabilities, men’s head coach Bob Carlson stated the team is, “ambitious, humble and ready for the challenges in the national tournament. We are excited with the chance to play close to home against some of the best teams in the country this weekend.” Men’s soccer has been performing well in this year’s season, having surrendered only five goals this season and no more than one goal in any game. Their current score record is 15 wins, three draws and one loss.
Carlson stated, “Giving up only five goals the entire season (leading the nation in [the] fewest goals allowed), our players’ team defending is exceptional. In the attack, the entire unit from back to front makes us difficult to defend and allows us to score in multiple ways.”
In the men’s first game against Pacific Lutheran University, the Knights tied 0-0, and ultimately beat out Pacific Lutheran in penalty kicks with a score of 4-1. This match qualified the Knights for the next round of the NCAA Championships, their first time progressing past the NCAA round of 64 since 2018.
The men’s team lost their second game at St. Olaf College 0-1, ending the season for the Knights. The Knights finished their season allowing only six goals, breaking the program record, which was previously seven goals, set by the 2008 Knights.
Both soccer teams finished their seasons with historic success, both in the MIAC and in their returns to the NCAA Championship.