ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Augsburg University men's soccer team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 0-0 tie at Hamline University on Saturday at Pat Paterson Field. The Auggies were outshot 10-7 but put four shots on goal, and goalkeeper
Finnur Mercier made five saves to preserve the shutout. The tie is Augsburg's fourth of the season in its first five games. Augsburg's most ties in a single season was seven, coming in 2008.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 0, Hamline 0
LOCATION: Pat Paterson Field, St. Paul, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-0-4 overall (0-0-1 MIAC), Hamline 2-2-3 overall (0-0-2 MIAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The scoreless first half included a nine-minute stretch in which the teams combined for eight fouls and cards while the match remained 0-0. The Auggies kept the Pipers without a first-half goal, despite a late stretch of pressure after the Auggies received a red card in the 31st minute. Earlier,
Finnur Mercier saved a shot in the seventh minute, and the Auggies generated two looks on goal of their own, with
Asher Johnson and
Christopher Plaza Alvarado each forcing saves from Brandon Cruz Rojas. After the red card, the Pipers earned two corner kicks and put three shots on frame by the 35th minute, but Mercier stopped all three. The Auggies closed the half with Mercier at four saves and the teams went into halftime scoreless.
Mercier saved Beniam Makonnen's penalty kick at 85:02, preserving the Auggies' shutout in a scoreless second half. Earlier, the Auggies absorbed the Pipers' pressure from 46:29 to 55:12, a stretch that included three shots and three corner kicks without a goal. The Auggies answered with a 57:20 corner and a Plaza Alvarado shot on goal at 63:32 that was saved. The Auggies pushed late with four shots and a corner over the final 10 minutes, including a
Caleb Ibarra shot saved at 81:55 and late attempts from Ibarra and
Liam Paradiso. The half ended 0-0, leaving the match scoreless at the final whistle.
Mercier recorded five saves over 90 minutes and finished with a shutout. Plaza Alvarado put both of his shots on goal for the Auggies. Ibarra added two shots, including one on frame.
QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG COACH GREG HOLKER
"I am proud of the commitment and effort we put into that game, especially being down a guy for 60 minutes. Having a goal called back ahead of the red card was a tough decision to swallow, but we kept pushing forward. That showed tremendous growth from our last game, and that is what we are after -- just get better every day."
"In the second half, even with 10 players, we had three golden chances to score. Full credit to Hamline's goalkeeper as he made two vital saves, one of which was so impressive, getting down to his right to push one around the post as quick as I've seen recently."
"Although we haven't been winning games yet this season, we are still undefeated and are getting better every day. I know that eventually we will find the goals we have been missing, and it's gonna be so much fun when we get there. We don 't like things easy -- we want to earn it. That brings a much greater sense of achievement at the end of the journey."
"Tip of the hat to Finnur today, as he managed the game much better with his feet. Then he went off and saved a penalty with around five minutes to play. He's just been another tremendous goalkeeper in the long line of great goalkeeping we have had at Augsburg."
"
Anson Karn,
Asher Johnson, Chris Plaza - these guys were warriors today. They covered so much ground and did all the things needed to help the team. I was so impressed with them, in particular."
UP NEXT
The Auggies host Saint Mary's University in an MIAC contest on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis.
