Macalester Edges Stags In Season Opener

ST.PAUL, Minn. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Macalester on Friday evening. The Stags fell into an early 1-0 hole in the opening 10 minutes of the season, but found an equalizer late in the first half off the head of Justin Gadalla (HMC). Matthew Swift (CMC) collected an assist on the goal that Gadalla headed past the keeper from 10 yards out.

The score remained level into the second-half until Macalester's Seth Kofman found the back of the net in the 68^th minute for the eventual game-winning goal.

The Scots wasted no time working the ball into their attacking end. Just over a minute into the game Macalester's Danny Baumann sent an attempt wide right. Macalester kept the pressure on, with three more shots and a pair of corners taken over the next five minutes.

The Stags had an opportunity of their own against the run of play when they earned a corner kick in the 8th minute. Unfortunately for Stags, they could not muster a shot on the corner. Just over a minute later the Scots made the Stags pay for coming up empty on the corner attempt when Macalester's Danny Baumann carried the ball up the right-side and sent a pass to Jake Burke for an attempt from 12 yards out. Burke connected to give the home team the 1-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game.

After a relatively quick start to the contest, the game settled down over the next 25 minutes. While the Scots registered shots in the 20th and 26th minute, their attempts could not find the twine.

In the 39th minute the Stags found their first goal of the 2017 season. Matthew Swift sent a pass to Justin Gadalla for a header that beat the keeper from 10 yards out to tie the match at 1-1.

The score remained even through half-time. A strike from Macalester's Seth Kofman in the 68th minute broke the tie and gave the Scots the lead back.

Pushing for a tally, the Stags tested the Scots' keeper with shots on goal in the 74th and 83rd minute but both attempts were turned away and the Stags fell by the 2-1 final.

In the match the Stags recorded six shots to the Scots' 12, though five of CMS' were on frame against six for Macalester. Goalkeeper Daniel Cui (CMC) made four saves for the Stags and Cole Smith (CMC) was the only player in the match with multiple shots on goal (two).

The Stags will be back in action on Sunday when they visit No. 3 St. Thomas at 12:00 p.m. CT/10:00 a.m. PT to wrap up their season opening trip to Minnesota.