DECATUR, Ill. – The Carthage College men's soccer team battled without a number of everyday starters but still came out of Millikin University with a much needed 1-0 win Saturday. 
 
The win keeps Carthage at the top of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, along with Wheaton College, at 4-1-1 and 10-5-2 overall.
 
"I'd have to digest the stats, but once again I felt we could have won this one by a handful," said head coach Steve Domin.  "It's interesting because we came down here without the services of a handful of key players on injury or riding cards, and all the players we inserted stepped up, including Zach Schoffstall, Jovanni Anzaldi, Sahr Mahoney, and Niko Mavrogiannis."
 
Carthage's first great opportunity came in the 21st minute when Zach Schoffstall found himself all alone in the penalty box from about 12 yards out, but his shot was pushed wide as he was unable to connect with good contact.
 
Later in the half, Austin Bitta received a ball at the top of the 18-yard box and hit a curling shot towards the back post that clanked off the frame and was cleared by the Millikin defense.
 
Bitta along with the rest of the midfield controlled the pace of play Saturday allowing Carthage attacks to build and quality opportunities to present themselves.
 
"Our middle players were tough to defend today.  They really have been all year except one match versus Wheaton, which we are hoping to get a healthy shot at.  We were just too banged up on that day," pointed out Domin.
 
At the half Carthage held an 8-7 advantage in shots, however the play once again of the Red Men backline consisting of Jake Bukiri, Giles Phillips, Shane Reilly and Jamie Tausend made life difficult on the Millikin attack, not allowing quality looks on target.
 
The freshman Schoffstall, making his first career start, would redeem himself in the 57th minute as a takeaway led to a combination through the middle between Stefano Dolomas and Austin Bitta found Benjamin Poder down the right flank.  From there Poder drove a cross into Schoffstall who brought it down with his chest and cracked a volley past the Millikin keeper.
 
Domin said, "Ironically Zach Schoffstall had three point blank shots before he found the back of the net so I was really happy for him to score and get us in a comfortable position.  He scored another beautiful one-timer volley on a cross from Anzaldi that was ruled offside.  That would have been the dagger."
 
Millikin nearly tied it at 1-1 late in the match when a long throw-in found the head of a Big Blue attacker but his flick went just wide of the back post.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Niko Mavrogiannis, making his second career start, recorded his first shutout in the win collecting six saves in the game.
 
The Red Men will remain on the road for a final non-conference matchup at the Illinois Institute of Technology Wednesday, October 28th before returning home for the final CCIW game with Elmhurst at Art Keller Field next Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
 
"We are going to spread the minutes out next match and play some different folks win, lose or draw with non league game in front of us"