The Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team split their two home games Sept. 28-29, picking up a 2-1 victory over the Nipissing University Lakers, but losing a second straight 2-1 game to the Laurentian University Voyageurs.
The Ravens had another slow start in the game against the Lakers, something that has plagued them for most of the season.
“With nine opportunities in the first half and five of them at the goalkeeper, it should have been 3 or 4-nothing at halftime,” Ravens head coach Sandy Mackie said.
Nipissing took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute courtesy of a bad bounce that hopped over the outstretched hands of first-year Ravens goalkeeper Travis Chace.
Third-year striker Andrew Latty then tied the game up seven minutes later on a header, for his eighth goal of the season.
“It was a great ball delivery from our left back Theo Lopez de Castilla,” Latty said.
When the Ravens came out for the second half, there were notable substitutions of veteran players, like fifth-year midfielder Joey Kewin, second-year striker Mekonen Lovemore-White, as well as Latty.
The moves paid off for the Ravens as it brought a newfound energy to the team and led to second-year forward Aleksandar Cosovic’s game-winning goal in the 83rd minute.
“It was a nice feeling to come from behind, the subs gave us a new energy which we fed off and used to our advantage,” Cosovic said.
In their match against the Voyageurs a day later, Kewin was able to score a late goal in the 85th minute, but it was too late for Carleton, as they lost 2-1. Carleton’s record now falls to 5-2-2 for 17 points.
The Ravens are tied for second place with the Voyageurs in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division.
Carleton hits the road for two away games Oct. 5-6 against the Trent University Excalibur and the Royal Military College Paladins.
