MINNEAPOLIS -- Carver Tierney (SR, Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) scored a pair of goals in a 1:58 span early in the second half, as his No. 7-ranked Augsburg University men's soccer team clinched a berth in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason playoffs with a 3-0 win over Carleton College on Tuesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 3, St. Scholastica 0
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 15-1-1 overall (6-1-1 MIAC), Carleton 8-4-3 overall (2-3-3 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• After a tight first half where Carleton outshot Augsburg by an 8-5 margin, the Auggies exploded out of the gate in the second half, taking firm control of the flow of play. The Auggies outshot the Knights by a 13-2 margin in the second half, scoring three goals.
• Tierney's first goal came in the 56th minute, as he headed home a corner kick from Diego Veit (SR, Vina Del Mar, Chile/Centro Educacional de Adultos Rafael Sotomayor). He then scored his 14th goal of the season in the 58th minute, as he deflected a throw by the Carleton goalkeeper with his heel, then sliced a right-foot shot to the open net. 
• Veit then scored his fourth goal of the season in the 71st minute, finishing a nice give-and-go with Mitchel Munzing (SR, Portland, Ore./Grant HS) with a left-footed blast to the top right corner of the net.
• Augsburg was able to exploit its depth throughout the game, playing 21 different players in the contest, with no field player seeing more than 83 minutes of action.
• Goalkeeper Christian Hodges (FY, New Albany, Ohio/Tree of Life Christian School) had a busy first half, claiming six saves, then had one save in the second half to pick up his 11th individual shutout of the season, and Augsburg's 12th of the season in its 17th game.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg claimed its 10th berth in the six-team MIAC postseason playoffs under 22nd-year head coach Greg Holker, its third in a row and fourth in a five-season span. Augsburg can clinch the No. 2 seed in the MIAC playoffs with one win in its final two conference games.
• With 14 goals, Tierney is now tied the lead in the MIAC in total goals, while his 33 points are second-most among conference players.

QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG COACH GREG HOLKER
• "I thought Jacob Thao and Eric Riera were game changers for us when they entered tonight. They brought the sharpness and quickness we missed in the early stages of the game."
• "Of course the weather played a role in the first half, but we must be better than that to start games, regardless. That being said, the group did what it needed at the break and came out a completely different side in the second half. We were excellent and created two great goals, plus an unusual one from Carver when he blocked the goalkeeper's throw. We moved the ball with more purpose and pressed higher defensively. I think the first 10-15 minutes we created several legit chances, including the one they cleared one off the line a minute into it from Carver in an incredible defensive effort."
• "Diego Veit was important tonight once again with his calmness on the ball, his ability to serve great set pieces, and his goal scoring from that part of the field. Losing Mizael Harris has been devastating to the group, but Diego is doing his part to lessen the burden as much as possible."
• "Now we get to play the game everyone has been waiting for when we host St. Olaf on Saturday. They are undefeated in 31 consecutive regular-season MIAC games, and just clinched their fourth MIAC title in the past five years -- incredibly impressive. We are No. 2 and they are No. 8 in the Division III NPI national rankings. They are 4th and we are 7th in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings. They are 2nd and we are 6th in the Massey Ratings. On paper, it's an incredible game for anyone who loves the sport to come and watch. We hope many will be here on Saturday to see two of the best teams in one of the finest conferences in the country face off."

FOR THE FOES
• Leo Kugel had four saves in goal for Carleton.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts No. 4-ranked and MIAC regular-season champion St. Olaf College on Saturday (10/25) at 4:30 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.