BOXSCORE COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- Chad Gilmer (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) headed home the game-winning goal with 2:36 left in regulation, giving the Augsburg College men's soccer team a 2-1 victory over host St. John's University in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest on Wednesday evening at Clemens Stadium.

Gilmer dove on a corner kick by Josh Sweeney (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) for his game-winning header, his fourth goal of the season. Augsburg (7-3-1 overall, 3-1-0 MIAC) moved into a tie for second place in the MIAC standings with the victory.

"Chad Gilmer wins another game on a header from a set piece," said Augsburg head coach Greg Holker. "He is so determined to help his team that no matter how many guys our opponents are putting on him, he still finds a way to create chances and score goals from those moments. To follow that up, he cleared away two St. John's corner kicks to preserve the win. He was absolutely tenacious."

Augsburg opened the scoring just seven minutes into the contest, as Grant Griffin (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy HS) scored his first goal of the season off a deflection from a free kick from 13 yards out. The Johnnies (3-4-2 overall, 1-2-0 MIAC) tied the game in the 23rd minute, as David Wee scored off a deflected shot by Zane Heinselman.

"We used a lot of players for a lot of minutes -- our front six were able to change in and out and continue to keep their back four under duress so they couldn't serve freely to their front three," Holker said. "Those guys they have up top are extremely dangerous. Any one of them, and the attacking midfielder, can change the game in an instant. That is a very good St. John's team -- probably the best we have faced since I have been here with the exception of the 2005 team."

Augsburg outshot St. John's by a 16-15 margin. Clayton Lynch (JR, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier HS) collected three saves in goal for the Auggies, while Kevin Lebahn had six saves for the Johnnies.

"Clayton Lynch made a stunning save on the back post off another of St. John's long free kicks," Holker said. We were mismatched and they found it and the header had everyone beaten, until Lynch flew across and slapped it out of the top corner. He has been fantastic all season long and showed again tonight why he is one of the best in the league. Sherif Soud (SR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Eagan HS) made a big difference for us tonight. His role changed a little bit and that was all he needed to feel more confident and take control of the game."

After hosting its alumni game on Friday (9/28) at 7 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field, Augsburg returns to the road for a nonconference game at Northwestern-Roseville next Tuesday (10/2) at 4 p.m.

"This was a team victory. Our guys fought for each other tonight in a manner we haven't seen this season. A complete turnaround from Saturday's game, and now we all need to stay sharp and push forward as we move into the heart of our MIAC season," Holker said.