<metimes even great just isn’t enough. That’s the way goalkeeper Mikayla Coulombe ‘16 played on Saturday, spearheading the Knights defense and recording a career-high eight saves. It proved to be in vain as the Carleton College Women’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss to the College of Saint Benedict, 1-0 in double overtime.
Carleton and Saint Benedict played neck and neck during regular time, with the Blazers holding a slim 11-8 margin on shots throughout the first 90 minutes. Despite close opportunities from both sides, the Carleton women found themselves in overtime for the first time this season.
During the first overtime, the Blazers started off with the momentum, recording three shots, all turned aside by Coulombe, in the first three minutes of the extra period. The Knights then managed to turn things around, with Marlena Hartman-Filson ‘13 taking a shot that forced a diving save out of the Blazers’ keeper Megan Favorite. Hartman-Filson also had an opportunity in the closing minutes of the period to send a cross through the left side of the box but saw that a Saint Benedict player was injured inside the box and made the sporting play to put the ball out the sideline. The cross that almost was never materialized and a crucial late opportunity was lost as time in the period expired. The Saint Benedict player regained her feet and was unhurt.
In second overtime, the game came down the final moments. In the 108th minute, Colleen Bouchard collected an airborne ball at the edge of the six yard box and rocketed the ball at the net. Coulombe dove in front of it and deflected the shot away. It would be her final save of the game as the Blazers’ Alyssa Hoffman chipped the ball up in the air, lifting it into the net.
It was a really hard-fought game on both sides; it just didn’t go our way,” said Carleton head coach Jocelyn Keller. “There’s no time to feel bad about it. we’ve got to get right back out there tomorrow.
Sunday afternoon, the Knights took on visiting non-conference foe Luther College to earn a scoreless draw. Mikayla Coulombe grabbed a clean sheet with six saves.
The Knights (4-3-1) outshot the Norse (3-3-1) by a 22-11 margin, but Cydney Haaland notched a dozen saves in goal for Luther.
Coulombe’s quick reactions on a 12-yard shot by Luther’s Maggie Herrity in the 86th minute forced the teams into overtime. Both squads got a shot off in the first extra period, but the most exciting action of the match came in the second overtime.
In the opening minute of that stanza, Marlena Hartman-Filson ‘13 was denied twice by Haaland. A minute later, Luther’s Erika Balk had a breakaway but she lost her balance and fell down—untouched—allowing Coulombe to race off her line and collect the loose ball.
In the final minute of play, Ellie Wilson ‘15 and Claire McGillem ‘13 had a two-on-one situation but a sprinting Norse defender disrupted the play at the last moment, keeping the contest scoreless.
Carleton travels to Concordia College on Saturday, Sept. 22 for a key contest that starts at 2:30 p.m.