MINNEAPOLIS – The Augsburg University men's soccer team hosted 23
rd-ranked St. Olaf College in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action on Homecoming Saturday at Edor Nelson Field, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Oles.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #23 St. Olaf 3, Augsburg 1
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 7-3-4 overall (3-1-3 MIAC), #23 St. Olaf 10-3-1 overall (6-0-1 MIAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Despite being outshot 6-5 in a scoreless first half, the Auggies felt they had the better of the scoring chances. Augsburg's best chance came in the 18
th minute when a shot by
Mizael Harris (SO, Portland, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep HS) created a flurry of opportunities for the Auggies. Harris' shot rebounded off a save by St. Olaf goalkeeper Peter Forseth, and
Owen Salzwedel (FY, St. Anthony Village, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) blasted another shot right back at him. Forseth made that save, and one more on a third consecutive Augsburg shot by
Mitchel Munzing (SO, Portland, Ore./Grant HS), to preserve the scoreless tie that would hold until halftime.
• After St. Olaf opened the scoring with goals in the 53
rd and 60
th minute, Augsburg cut the deficit to one in the 71
st minute when Salzwedel drove down the right side off a pass by Harris and sent it back to a sliding Harris, who buried it for Augsburg's first and only goal of the game.
• The Oles took a far more aggressive approach in the second half, taking 13 shots to Augsburg's three and scoring their third and final goal in the 84
th minute to seal the 3-1 victory.
• With Augsburg being outshot 19-8 in the game, Auggie goalkeeper
Oscar Herrera (SR, Madison, Wis./Madison West HS) made three saves.
FOR THE FOES
• Victor Gaulmin, Casey McCloskey, and Shea Bechtel each scored goals for the Oles.
• Ole goalkeeper Peter Forseth made four saves on the night.
QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG HEAD COACH GREG HOLKER
• "We love playing St. Olaf. They are so good and so versatile and it brings us up a notch. It's a fun, competitive dual and we hope we can play them again this season."
• "In the first half, we had much of the ball and territory. Mitch hit the bar early and we had a sequence of 2-3 chances in a row that they saved and blocked away. As the half wore on, they climbed up a little higher and the game was played in the central channel. 0-0 at half didn't do our performance justice."
• "In the second half, they went much more direct and played for set pieces - which ended up being an effective change when they scored on a long throw. They stripped us of the ball on the right side seven minutes later and countered quickly - which is what they are so good at - and Casey tucked it in tight from the right side.
• "I was pleased with our response, and Mizael is absolutely unplayable right now. We turned them over in the middle and
Eric Riera poked one forward to Miz, and he played Owen in behind the defense and then flew forward to get it back for the goal. Miz was so fun to watch and he worked so hard. He broke the line again and beat their GK, but Aiden Hillis recovered to clear it off the line. I thought for sure that was in. We had another high-quality chance when Menna hit it into their GK, but we didn't create enough in the second half to deal with all their long throw-ins and corner kicks."
• "Eventually, we broke again when Shea headed it in from two yards out on one of their last corner kicks. Both set piece goals against us were devastating, as has been the story of our season. We have conceded 10 now from set pieces and are negative two on the season in that category. We have to turn that around in order to prolong our season, no doubt."
UP NEXT
• Augsburg will travel to Northfield, Minn. to take on Carleton College on Tuesday (10/17) at 3:30 pm.
