NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA — A close game got away from the Central College men's soccer team in the second half in a 2-0 loss at Carleton College (Minn.) Wednesday afternoon.
           
It was a tale of two halves for the Dutch (1-4-1) against the Knights (3-3-1) according to coach Garry Laidlaw said, starting with a good first 45 minutes.

"I thought we were excellent in the first half," he said. "Our passing and possession were fantastic. We had a couple of half-looks at goal that we were not able to convert."

The Knights did take a 1-0 lead into the break and went up 2-0 after a penalty kick

"We lost our way a little in the second half," Laidlaw said. "They were awarded a penalty which they converted. From that point on, we were chasing the game and had to take some risks."

The Dutch have suffered four losses in a row, getting outscored 7-0 in the streak.

"We feel like we're making five percent progress every time we play against one of these great teams," Laidlaw said. "Until we can consistently create and score chances, it's going to be tough. We're still searching for answers on that end of the pitch."

Laidlaw cited midfielders Jordan Groshek (sophomore, midfielder, Onalaska, Wis.) and Jake Dzarnowski (senior, Wheaton, Ill., North HS) for their performance.

"Jordan was very effective in his role," Laidlaw said. "He passed it well and helped us keep possession. Jake continues to lead as a captain from the front."

The Dutch host the University of Wisconsin – Platteville at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

"We really have a gauntlet again this year," Laidlaw said. "We keep reminding the team that everything we're doing is getting us ready for the conference season."