One-Goal Blues

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/24/17)--- For the second time in four days Concordia dropped a hard-fought one-goal decision in a key MIAC match-up.

On Saturday the Cobbers conceded two second half goals and lost 3-2 to Augsburg and on Tuesday Concordia gave up a goal in the seventh minute of overtime and fell 2-1 to Bethel.

The second one-goal loss drops Concordia out of playoff contention. The Cobbers are now 4-10-2 overall and 1-6-2 in the MIAC.

Concordia's Achilles' Heel all season long came back to hurt the team against the Royals. The Cobbers gave up another early-game goal and had to work hard to dig out of the one-goal hole.  

Bethel (4-10-2/2-6-1 MIAC) netted the first goal of the game at the 7:33 mark. Concordia got on the board in the 20th minute of play when Noah Gjesdahl tied the contest at 1-1 at 19:29. Gjesdahl's first career goal came after a goalmouth scramble and he was able to poke home a loose ball from less than six yards out. Henry Schaeffer got the assist on the goal.

The game was played with a 15-20mph wind blowing from end to end and that dictated the style, and pace, of play. The team going with the wind was able to get more of the chances. Bethel went with the wind in the first half and outshot CC 5-3 and then the Cobbers had the breeze at their back in the second half and outshot the Royals 5-3.

Bethel then took the wind in the overtime period and scored on the only chance of the extra session.

The Cobbers had a couple of high quality chances in the second half which could have turned the game in favor of CC. Concordia had a pair of breakaways after attackers got behind the Bethel defense but on each occasion the Royal goalie came up with the stop.

Concordia held a 5-3 edge in shots on goal while Bethel came away with a 9-8 edge in total shots. Sophomore Wyatt Holwagner led Concordia with two shots on goal. Sam Gess and Aronah Mukhtar both had two total shots for the Cobbers.

ONE-GOAL GAMES: Concordia has played in nine one-goal games this year and has a 4-5 record in those games. CC is 1-3 in one-goal games in conference play.   

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will finish off the 2017 season by playing at St. Mary's on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.