MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg University men's soccer team rallied from a first-half deficit with goals from Alex Giles (JR, Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights HS) and Tyler Johnson (SR, Maplewood, Minn./Como Park HS), but a pair of Macalester College goals five minutes apart gave the Scots a 3-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff quarterfinal win on Monday evening at Edor Nelson Field.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Macalester 3, Augsburg 2
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 12-6-1 overall, Macalester 9-8-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Giles tied the game at 1-1 at the 48:30 mark, scoring on a scramble in front of the Macalester net. Nick Zuchowski (JR, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) drove the ball in from the left wing, and Tomas Piza-Gonzalez (FY, Minneapolis, Minn./Hiawatha Collegiate HS) found Giles in the center of the 18-yard box. Giles' shot deflected off the Macalester goalkeeper and trickled into the net for his first goal in an Augsburg uniform. 
• The Auggies took the lead on Johnson's goal at the 62:44 mark. Zuchowski's corner kick from the left side found Johnson, who headed it home to the far corner of the net.
• Macalester tied the game 10 minutes later, as a shot from Silas Southworth deflected off an Augsburg defender and found the goal. Danny Peak put the Scots ahead at the 77:45 mark, scoring on a rebound off a shot by Jack Mueller that hit the right crossbar.
• Macalester outshot the Auggies by a 19-17 margin in the game.
• Oscar Herrera (FY, Madison, Wis./Madison West HS) had four saves in goal.

FOR THE FOES
• Omar Anwar opened the scoring with a goal on a free kick from just outside the top of the 18-yard box at the 24:25 mark.
• Cade Fink had six saves in goal for Macalester.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg was competing in its seventh MIAC postseason playoffs in program history, and its third since the 2016 season.
• The game marked the final appearances in an Augsburg uniform for Johnson and fellow senior Ethan Poppen (SR, Verona, Wis./Verona HS).

QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG HEAD COACH GREG HOLKER
• "This was an incredible MIAC playoff game -- great atmosphere, back-and-forth action, late drama, etc. It had it all, and congratulations to Macalester for the result and best of luck to them as they progress."
• "I was so happy for TJ to score in his final game, and to have as big of an impact on it as he did. Nick Zuchowski was insanely good -- he drew 10 fouls himself, and created the first goal with his 1v2 play on the dribble. He was hunted, and still found a way. Alex Giles was the general for us today in midfield, so sure of himself on the ball, scoring a goal, and was inches from a second goal with just a few minutes to play."
• "It's bittersweet, for sure. We played well enough to win. We were fun to watch. We finally scored on a set piece. But in the end, it wasn't enough, so I have to express my gratitude to the players that have given everything they had over the course of their careers. Leaving this part of the program is one of the more difficult things to do, and we all hurt for those guys. Ethan Poppen has been the consummate teammate, competitor, and friend from the very beginning, and we are all going to miss him. TJ is very much the same - quietly did the work necessary and was always there for us. We are not yet sure if this was Marco Corona Duran's last game, but in the same light his positivity and charisma have been instrumental in the experience for all of us. I love these guys and will do anything for them. They've left this program in a better place."
• "For the rest of the group, time to enjoy each other away from the field for a bit before returning to work. They've earned it as good stewards of the program. Our alumni should be proud. These are incredible young men."

UP NEXT
• No. 5-seed Macalester advances to face No. 2-seed Carleton in the MIAC playoff semifinals on Wednesday (11/3) at 2 p.m. in Northfield, Minn.