At 5-7, 140 pounds, Abbai Habte was one of the smaller players on the field in last Saturday Hamline-St. Thomas men's soccer game.Â
But he ended up casting the largest shadow.
The junior maneuvered his way between two UST defenders for the gamewinning goal in Hamline's 2-1 win at Paterson Field. It marfked the first time the Pipers had bested their southern neighbors in eight years. Perhaps more importantly, it weas their first MIAC win after three losses, thus propelling Hamline back into the thick of a tightly packed league standings.Â
Habte, a junior from St. Paul Central, finished off a three-way passing play at 65:43 to snap a 1-all tie and send the Pipers on their way to snapping a six-game losing streak. It was his second goal of the season. His other tally also was a gamewinner -- the lone netter in the 1-0 winner over Marian, Sept. 5.
Habte and his mates will gun for two in a row when they face Northwestern (Roseville) in a non-conference affair on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Paterson Field (4:00 p.m.). They return to MIAC action October 11 at Concordia.Â
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