ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Bethel University men's soccer team saw the Hamline Pipers convert a penalty kick with just 66 seconds remaining in the game to win by a 1-0 score Tuesday afternoon. A great defensive effort by the Royals was not rewarded when the Pipers were able to earn the penalty kick and Abbai Habte put the ball in the lower right corner to give Hamline the late lead. The Royals had a chance with just three seconds remaining to tie the game on a free kick of their own, just outside the box, but the Pipers wall was able to stop the shot and the ball bounced away as time ran out.

"I am so proud of our team. Again, our boys competed for 90 minutes and did enough to win this game," said Royals head coach Jeremy Iwaszkowiec. "It was terribly unfortunate and unlucky to concede that type of penalty kick with under two minutes to play. Soccer can feel incredibly unfair sometimes, much like life, and today felt like one of those games. We are playing very well recently and are one or two plays away, in every game, from getting on the winning side of the results column." 

Hamline outshot Bethel 10-7 on the day but the shots on goal were even at 4-4 in the defensive battle. Jakob Bartels made three saves for the Royals. The victory for the Pipers clinched a spot in the MIAC playoffs as they improved to 6-3-1 in the MIAC while the Royals fell to 2-7-1 and 6-10-2 overall. Bethel wraps up the 2015 season with a home match against the Macalester College Scots on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.