On Monday, Sept. 9, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) men’s soccer team proved they can hang with the best, taking down the St. Olaf College Lions, the reigning NCAA national Division III champions, in a 3-2 win.
Top-notch performances from 2023 first-team All-SCIAC players Rafael Otero CM ‘25 — who netted two goals — and Shaan Malik CM ‘26 — who also put one in the back of the net — allowed the team to claim victory in the Lion’s home territory of Northfield, Minnesota.
Displaying great composure on the ball, Otero broke the game’s deadlock in the 23rd minute with his first goal, finding space between four defenders. Five minutes later, the Stags doubled their lead, as Malik faked out a player before firing into the top left corner.
According to central defensive midfielder Lukas Huntington CM ‘25, the team’s preparation began long before the game itself.
“The reality is that our preparation started last November,” Huntington said. “We had a disappointing end of the year last year, and we grinded this offseason. We had six days a week of training.”
Last season, the Stags lost only three games but fell to Redlands in a heartbreaking SCIAC semi-final match that ended in penalty kicks after the Bulldogs tied the game with three minutes of regular time remaining.
Otero, a central attacking midfielder, highlighted the significance of his teammates’ individual contributions in the build up to his goals.
“Zeno made a great play, won the ball, and passed it to me,” Otero said. “A lot of my teammates made good runs to keep it open and no one stepped out to me, so I carried it and got a free shot.”
Huntington was also quick to acknowledge the contributions made by the team’s defense.
“Guys like Tommy Brown and Eric-Grossman-Glover had huge games,” Huntington said. “Eric stepped up when he was called upon, shutting down their regional player of the year.”
However, the Stags’ lead was short lived, as St. Olaf quickly erased the 2-0 deficit with two set-piece goals from the Oles before halftime.
According to Huntington, the team emerged onto the field after halftime with renewed energy.
“We asked ourselves who we wanted to be,” he said. “Do we let the game slip out of our hands, or do we seize it?”
A mere 13 minutes into the second half, the Stags recaptured the lead, courtesy of Otero’s second goal. The final 30 minutes of the game proved a tense test for the Stags, with the Oles set upon retribution. However, a last minute save from goalie Miles Demarest CM ‘26 proved to be all CMS needed to secure a historic win.
Malik also spoke about the team’s emphasis on a consistent strong mentality, regardless of the significance of the game.
“Whether it’s a SCIAC final, an NCAA final, a game against Whittier or La Verne, you have to play the team ahead of you,” Malik said. “What our coach likes to tell us is that in those games, you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your preparation.”
While locker-room celebrations were lively following the big win, Otero stressed the importance of not seeing the victory as the peak of the season, but rather using it as a tool of momentum into the next game, which took place on Thursday, Sept. 12 versus Wheaton.
The Stags proved that the St. Olaf win was just the beginning of a successful streak, defeating Wheaton 2-0 with two more goals from Otero. This time, the Stags improved their defensive efforts, keeping a clean sheet.
Following their wins versus St. Olaf and Wheaton, CMS was ranked No. 14 in the NCAA DIII men’s soccer ranking, and were back in action Wednesday, Sept. 18 versus Cal Lutheran for the SCIAC opener, in which they fell 4-2.
Looking ahead, the Stags will face Chapman University on Saturday, Sept. 21 at home, for their second SCIAC-season game.
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