MINNEAPOLIS — With both teams scoring goals in the final 22 minutes of play, the Augsburg University men's soccer team tied Simpson College 1-1 in a nonconference game on Tuesday at Edor Nelson Field.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 1, Edgewood (Wis.) 1
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-0-3 overall, Simpson 1-1-2 overall
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Auggies generated 22 shots and put 10 on goal, while the Storm finished with seven shots and four on goal. The Auggies also had a first-half stretch with six shots and two corners while the match remained scoreless. Augsburg recorded at least 22 shots for the second consecutive game. The 10 shots on goal marked a season-high for the team.
The Auggies created the bulk of the first-half chances, finishing the half with 12 shots and four corner kicks while keeping the Storm to one shot, but the teams went into halftime without a goal, despite Augsburg holding a 68-to-32-percent advantage in possession. Augsburg started quickly, with
Gio Casias,
Caleb Ibarra,
Christopher Plaza Alvarado and
Asher Johnson all getting attempts in the opening nine minutes, including three shots saved by Simpson's goalkeeper. The pressure continued through the middle of the half as the Auggies earned corners at 16:33 and 17:22, and
Anson Karn hit the left woodwork at 17:10 before adding another shot less than a minute later. The Storm's lone shot came in the 30th minute, when
Finnur Mercier made the save, and the Auggies added another corner in the 37th minute before the half ended scoreless.
The Auggies broke through in the 69th minute when Casias scored off a
Jackson Nichols-Lindsey assist to make it 1-0. Casias gained the ball on a back flick from Nichols-Lindsey, made a move, then hit a left-footed shot from the top left corner of the 18-yard box, deflecting off two defenders and into the net. Earlier, the Auggies generated four shots and three corner kicks from 48:50 to 59:32, including an
Asher Johnson shot saved by Nate Hersom, but the match remained scoreless. The Storm answered with pressure in the 63rd minute, putting three shots and a corner into a 50-second span before Mercier saved Parker Zeller's attempt. After Casias' goal, the Auggies kept creating chances with two more corners and four shots, all four of them saved by Hersom, before Tim Sedlock scored for the Storm at 85:19 to tie it. Sedlock hit a sliding shot in front off a deep dive and cross by Allan Martinez Garcia.
Casias scored the Auggies' goal and finished with three shots. Nichols-Lindsey recorded an assist while adding four shots, including two on goal.
Asher Johnson led the Auggies with five shots and put two on goal. Mercier played all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves. The Auggies ended with a 63-to-37-percent possession advantage in the game.
QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG COACH GREG HOLKER
"That was a pretty passive performance overall, and is indicative of a less experienced team, unfortunately. We were better, we knew it, and we coasted and did not play with the urgency to score that is required to be a playoff level team. When teams do this, and it happens to a lot of teams, you end up learning a painful lesson. Tonight, we were casual and we gave up points as a result of our level of care. Nothing more to say, really other than I am just as guilty -- I was quiet most of the game and should have influenced player behavior more actively and more directly."
"Although we ended the pre-MIAC portion of our schedule undefeated, we certainly feel like we're not fulfilled or accomplished. We have more to give, and need to start giving it this weekend because the MIAC is a completely different beast. The results from tonight's MIAC opening round should be testimony enough -- anyone can take points from anyone, and if you don't show up with everything you have you can get punished hard. It's an incredible league, and offers exciting challenges game by game. I am excited to close the door on what just happened and dive into the next challenge."
UP NEXT
The Auggies open Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a trip to St. Paul, Minn., to face Hamline University on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 3:30 p.m.
