Men's Soccer 9/24/06 -- Augsburg 1, St. John's 0 (2OT)

BOXSCORE

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (9/24/06) -- D.J. Wendell (So., Princeton, Minn./Charles M. Russell (Mont.) HS) scored the game-winning goal with three seconds left in the second overtime on Sunday, lifting the Augsburg College men's soccer team to one of its biggest victories in recent years, a 1-0 triumph over host St. John's University in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at Durenberger Field.

In the process, Augsburg claimed its 10th straight shutout this season and 12th dating to last year, adding to its status as the only school in NCAA Division III men's soccer to be unbeaten and unscored upon at this point in the season, according to the latest NCAA statistics.

Augsburg is now 8-0-2 overall, 2-0-2 in MIAC play, while St. John's, the defending MIAC playoff champions, drops to 6-2-1 overall, 3-1-0 in league play. The Johnnies were ranked No. 6 in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III West Region rankings.

With the victory, Augsburg has now claimed its most men's soccer victories in a single season since its last winning campaign, 1980, when the Auggies went 11-1-3 overall (9-0-3 MIAC) to claim its fourth MIAC title in school history.

Augsburg has now beaten two 2005 NCAA Division III national playoff teams with the win over the Johnnies (also beating Loras of Iowa in a nonconference game earlier this season).

Augsburg has outscored its opponents by an 19-0 margin this season. Augsburg's shutout streak has now reached 1,089:57 -- including 12 straight shutouts and 12:29 of a 13th game dating to last year. Augsburg has now not surrendered a goal in 959:57 this season.

Augsburg's 12 straight shutouts are now the fourth-longest consecutive shutout streak in NCAA Division III history. The record, 17, was set by Drew (N.J.) from Sept. 20, 2003 to Nov. 22, 2003. St. John's (1982) and Muhlenberg (Pa., 1998) had 13 consecutive shutouts. The NCAA Division I record is 11, set by Furman (S.C.) in 2002, while the Division II record is 12, set by Wisconsin-Parkside in 1989.

The Auggies maintained their unscored-upon status, despite being outshot for the second game in a row. After being outshot 19-10 in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Carleton, the Auggies were outshot by a 23-12 margin against St. John's, including a 12-2 Johnnie advantage in the second half. Both teams had four shots each in the overtime sessions. St. John's also held the edge in shots-on-goal (10-5) and corner kicks (9-3).

"Playing two MIAC games on the road back-to-back is a difficult task, and for us to come out with 3-of-4 points is a tremendous boost for our program," said Augsburg head coach Greg Holker. "Again, our depth and each individual's unselfish commitment to the program helped us get through two very long and challenging contests. Today's performance was entirely improved from yesterday's draw -- and it had to be against a very good St. John's side."

Augsburg goalkeeper Pascaul Venter (So., Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS) recorded double-digit saves for the second game in a row with a 10-save effort against St. John's, and in the process set a new single-season school record with his ninth shutout of the season.

Venter passed Augsburg Athletic Hall of Famer Mark Anderson for the school's single-season shutout record. Anderson recorded eight shutouts in 1980. Venter's 10 career shutouts are second all-time in school history; Anderson recorded a school-record 16 shutouts from 1978-80.

Venter's personal shutout streak is now at 1,079:31 (908:20 this season and 171:11 from last season), now the third-longest individual goalkeeper shutout streak in NCAA Division III history. Peter Boyer of Drew (N.J.) holds the record of 1,428:00, set in 2003, while Terry Leiendecker of St. John's is second with 1,110:00, set in 1982. The NCAA Division I record is 900:00, set by Randy Phillips of Southern Methodist (Texas) in 1980, while the Division II record is 962:00, set by Peter Quinn of Bridgeport (Conn.) in 1986.

Wendell scored his game-winning goal off a free kick by Ryan Kitzman * (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) in the closing seconds of play. Wendell notched his first goal of the season, while Kitzman now has three assists, tying Andrew Seidel (So., Woodbury, Minn.) for the team lead in helpers.

"We thought DJ was dangerous up top yesterday on a bigger field at Carleton because of his pace," Holker said. "Today he got in twice in regulation, but couldn't finish. That all changed in OT, as he finished Kitzman's service with three seconds left to win it."

Holker complimented the play of his team: "Lucas Ingram (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.) was great today replacing Alex Hildebrandt (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS) and Vinnie Brooks * (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) (both injured) in the back. James See (So., Richfield, Minn./Holy Angels HS) had his best performance of the season, and Pascaul did what P-Cal does best - hold a clean sheet."

St. John's goalkeeper Matt Sundberg (Jr., Wayzata, Minn.) recorded four saves in the game.

Augsburg returns to MIAC play on Friday (9/29) at 7:30 p.m., with a home game against league power Macalester (5-0-2 overall, 2-0-0 MIAC) at Edor Nelson Field. It will be the Auggie men's soccer team's Homecoming game. Macalester shared the league's regular-season title with Gustavus last season, and qualified for the NCAA Division III national playoffs.