NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Augsburg University put up a strong effort against the No. 10-ranked team in the nation in NCAA Division III men's soccer, but a pair of goals off of set pieces gave host St. Olaf College a 2-0 victory in Minesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Tuesday afternoon.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: St. Olaf 2, Augsburg 0
LOCATION: Rolf Mellby Field, Northfield, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 12-5-0 overall (6-3-0 MIAC), St. Olaf 15-1-1 overall (9-0-0 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Augsburg kept pace in the battle of teams both bound for the six-team MIAC postseason playoffs, outshooting the Oles by a 16-14 margin, including an 8-7 edge in shots on-goal. But St. Olaf scored on a goal following a free kick just before halftime, and added an insurance goal off a short corner kick in the 69th minute.
• Alex Giles (JR, Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights HS) had four shots in the game for Augsburg, while Tomas Menna (FY, Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS) had three shots. Tomas Piza-Gonzalez (FY, Minneapolis, Minn./Hiawatha Collegiate HS) and Nick Zuchowski (JR, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) had two shots each.
• Oscar Herrera (FY, Madison, Wis./Madison West HS) had five saves in goal.

FOR THE FOES
• Shea Bechtel and Victor Gaulmin scored goals for St. Olaf, which clinched the MIAC regular-season title with the victory.
• Ole goalkeeper Austin Williams had eight saves.

QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG HEAD COACH GREG HOLKER
• I thought we were spot on in this game. We accomplished two of our three objectives and in an overwhelming manner. We kept the ball (57 percent possession), which made it hard for St. Olaf to be the dominant attacking team they have been all year. We stayed compact to regain it as soon as we lost it, and we did win our 1v1 duels defensively. Unfortunately, we were undone by two free kicks, one of which there was nothing we could do."
• "For me, Alex Giles, Spencer Enright and Nick Zuchowski were pure class in midfield, and then Tomas Menna put out an absolutely admirable performance up top. He was everywhere and he kept the ball for us by playing quick and simple. Jorge Radilla, Drew Collins, and Marco Corona Duran were sharp in the back and locked down a very dangerous St. Olaf side, and Oscar held everything that got through. It was a near complete performance from our team, so a loss here didn't really affect us. All the guys played well. That being said, we MUST sort out our defensive issues on set pieces."
• "We play a Bethel team fighting for its playoff life on Friday, and they are incredible on dead balls, and have a long throw that comes into the box from everywhere. If we can get that part of our game sharper, it will really bode well for us as we work on a playoff run."

UP NEXT
• Augsburg finishes the regular season on Friday (10/29) at 7:30 p.m., hosting Bethel at Edor Nelson Field.
• St. Olaf travels to face St. Scholastica on Saturday (10/30) at 2 p.m.