MINNEAPOLIS -- A penalty kick goal by Lionel Vang (JR, Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) and a strong defensive effort helped Augsburg University improve to 6-1-0 on the season, claiming a 1-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's soccer win over Saint John's University on Tuesday evening at Edor Nelson Field.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 1, Saint John's 0
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 6-1-0 overall (3-0-0 MIAC), Saint John's 5-1-1 overall (2-1-0 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• In a tense, hard-fought game by both sides, a penalty kick goal decided the contest's fate. Vang was fouled as he attempted to drive on the left side of the penalty box at the 29:28 mark. He then converted the penalty kick -- the third of his career -- to give the Auggies a 1-0 lead.
• After the goal, Augsburg's defense took over the game, denying several Johnnie opportunities. Saint John's outshot Augsburg by a 19-10 margin, including an 11-2 advantage in the second half, but could only put four shots on-goal -- all four saved by Auggie goalkeeper Garrett Kaelin (JR, Stillwater, Minn./Hill-Murray HS), who claimed his second collegiate shutout. It was the third shutout for the Auggies this season.
• Augsburg's defense and defensive midfielders were stout throughout the game, especially late as the Johnnies pressed for a potential game-tying goal. Saint John's had nine shots in the final 20 minutes of play, including a shot that hit the left post in the 73rd minute, but only one was on-goal. Three shots were blocked by Auggie defenders.
• Augsburg's three defenders -- Daniel Hedstrom (JR, Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS), Hsinku Lay (SO, Maplewood, Minn./Roseville HS) and Luke Falk (SR, Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West HS) -- played the full 90 minutes, joined by center midfielders Kouseng Yang (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) and Taylor Sullivan (JR, Waukesha, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS).
• Vang had four shots in the game.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg's 6-1-0 overall record is its best record in its opening seven games since the 2011 campaign, when the Auggies started the season 7-0-1, en route to a 10-5-3 finish.
• Augsburg has now outscored its opponents by a 21-7 margin through its first seven games. Augsburg's 21 goals are the most scored by any MIAC team so far this season.
• Vang's penalty kick was just the fifth goal allowed by Saint John's, which had entered the game with four shutouts in its opening six contests.

FOR THE FOES
• Paul Wadsworth had five shots for the Johnnies, while Thomas Bell had four shots and Leighton Lommel had three.
• Payton Spencer surrendered his first goal of the season in net for the Johnnies, and he had one save in goal in the game.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg travels to face MIAC-leader Gustavus in an important conference contest on Saturday (9/29) at 3:30 p.m.
• Saint John's hosts Bethel on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.