Game Plan Goes Awry In Second Half

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (10/10/15)—Concordia stuck to its game plan for the first 45 minutes, had a golden opportunity at the start of the second half to take a lead but then faltered down the stretch at Carleton.

The Cobbers conceded a pair of goals in the final 33:11 of the second period and dropped a 2-0 decision to the Knights.

Concordia was able to hold back the Carleton attack in the first half by defending with a group of players and forcing the Knights to take shots from outside the penalty area or from bad angles. Carleton had their best chanced cleared off the line by freshman midfielder Spencer Lancaster who headed the ball clear after a Knight attacker headed the ball on goal, and past Cobber keeper Ben Glogoza,  after a corner kick.

The Cobbers gave up 21 shots in the first half but only six were on target after the Cobbers built a wall of bodies in front of the goal to take away the open shooting lanes.

Concordia got the game to halftime tied at 0-0 and were looking to win the second half to earn a difficult road victory. The plan nearly worked as the Cobbers had a header from inside the 6-yard box clang off the goal post and carom back into the arms of the Carleton goalie.

Sophomore Austin Promersberger jumped high to meet the corner kick cross and his header hammered off the goal post after the ball had gone over the goalie's head. Promersberger's header narrowly missed going into the open goal and giving the Cobbers a 1-0 lead early in the second period of play.

Concordia continued to take the attack to Carleton in the early part of the final half but were never able to get an open chance in the Knight penalty area.

The game changed complexion when Carleton had a throw-in deep in the CC defensive third of the field. The Knights threw the ball towards the front post where it was flicked on by an attacker towards the middle of the goal. A second Carleton player then ran onto the headed cross and headed the ball into the right corner of the net.

The game would stay at 1-0 until the final seven minutes of play. After pushing more players into attack to gain the game-tying goal, Concordia was caught on a counterattack and allowed a second goal at the 83:04 mark.

Concordia finished the game with eight shots. Lancaster had a team-high three shots for the contest.

Glogoza made eight stops in goal for the Cobbers.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will continue on the road in conference play when they face Augsburg in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Minneapolis.