Men's Soccer 10/4/06 -- Augsburg 4, Martin Luther 0

BOXSCORE 

MINNEAPOLIS (10/4/06) -- Claiming a 31-5 shots advantage and getting seven different players into the scoring column, the Augsburg College men's soccer team cruised to a 4-0 victory over Martin Luther College in a nonconference men's soccer game Wednesday night at Augsburg's Edor Nelson Field.

Augsburg scored twice in an 11-minute span in the first half, then added two goals in a 2:36 span in the second half to improve to 10-1-2 overall, its first double-digit victory season since 1980 (11-1-3 overall). Augsburg claimed its 12th shutout in its 13 games this season, a total that leads the NCAA Division III national statistics.

Martin Luther dropped to 2-6-2 overall with the loss.

Augsburg coach Greg Holker was able to see plenty of his players in action on Wednesday, as 22 Auggies saw action in the game, in preparation for the team's return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play next week.

Augsburg scored its first goal in the 27th minute, as Andrew Seidel (So., Woodbury, Minn.) notched his team-leading fifth goal of the season, taking a feed from Ryan Sorensen (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS) and shooting the ball across the crease into the right corner of the goal.

"Slider (Seidel) had been pretty frustrated lately in not scoring, so his finish was especially sweet tonight for both its quality and its timing," Holker said.

In the 38th minute, Andrew Connor (Jr., Becket, Mass./North Muskegon (Mich.) HS) put his third goal of the season in the net, receiving a pass from Kelsey Duerr (Fr., Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) and popping the ball over the head of the Martin Luther goalkeeper.

In the 53rd minute, defender Alex Hildebrandt (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS) hit a shot from 30 yards out that banged off the inside of the crossbar and past the goal line. Seidel received credit for the assist, his fourth of the year.

Then 156 seconds later, Nicholas Stuber (Sr., Cadillac, Mich.) notched his second goal of the year, sprinting to the goal after a long feed by Josh Stepaniak (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.).

"Nick Stuber continues to be more comfortable and is making a difference for our team right now," Holker said. We are all excited to have him back in form."

Holker also paid compliments to his team's defense and midfield, which kept Martin Luther to just one shot in the first half and only four in the second half.

"Noah Turner (Jr., Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) and Cassidy Duerr (So., Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) did well to organize the back four, as we rested Nick Manders (Jr., De Pere, Wis./West De Pere HS). Alec Rabine (Jr., St. Louis Park, Minn.) and Ryan Sorensen (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS) were very good in midfield, and they allowed James See (So., Richfield, Minn./Holy Angels HS) to take a day off," Holker said. "Overall, I thought the quality of soccer was good, but our efforts in the final third must be better against stronger opponents. Those are chances we can't waste in the MIAC."

Martin Luther goalkeeper Ben Pagel (Sr., Moline, Ill.) made four saves before being relieved by Alex Vandenberg (Fr., Appleton, Wis.) in the 58th minute. Vandenberg made two saves.

Augsburg has its alumni game on Saturday (10/7) at 5 p.m., then returns to MIAC action with a game on Tuesday (10/10) at 1:30 p.m. at Concordia-Moorhead. Martin Luther hosts Northwestern-Roseville in a Upper Midwest Athletic Conference game on Friday (10/6) at 1 p.m. in New Ulm, Minn.