First-Half Goals Prove Costly

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (9/24/16)—In a game devoid of midfield play, it was two identical goals in the first half that cost the Cobbers in a 2-0 loss at Northfield.

The Oles scored in the fourth minute of play after a Cobber defender slipped down with the ball heading to his feet. St. Olaf added a second score in the 31st minute to grab the conference win. Both goals were scored from centering passes near the end line and both came with no build up in the offensive attack.

The loss ends Concordia's one-game win streak and drops CC under the .500 mark for the year. The Cobbers are now 3-4-1 overall and 0-3-0 in the MIAC. St. Olaf is now 3-1-3 and 1-0-2 in league play.

The first half was more suited to a tennis match with both teams knocking the ball back and forth from 30 yards out of goal into the other half of the field. Each team only had one three-pass combination in the first 30 minutes of play.

The game took an unexpected turn in the 41st minute of play when both teams had a player red carded for a dust up near midfield. With both teams playing with only nine field players, the game opened up and turned more into an end-to-end affair.

Concordia had the better of the chances in the second half and nearly got on the board with just over 26-minutes left to play. Junior forward Roland Oyou hammered a shot from a deflected cross that had the Ole goalie beat but hit a St. Olaf defender who was lying on the ground in front of the goal.

St. Olaf outshot Concordia 17-5 in total shots with the majority coming in the first half off of turnovers or on long throw-in plays. The Oles held a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal. Oyou and junior Jacob Schmidt each had two shots for Concordia.

Cobber senior Ben Glogoza made seven saves in the 90-minute contest.        
  
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will have host St. Thomas on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. and then head south to take on St. Mary's in Winona on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.