ST. PETER, Minn. – Two early goals by Augsburg College spelled defeat for the Gustavus men’s soccer team Tuesday in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoffs. The Gusties responded with one goal, but the score remained 2-1 for a final, ending Gustavus’s season at 7-9-1 overall.
Patrick Roth goes for a header late in the game against Augsburg.
“We started very slowly,” Head Coach Mike Middleton said. “If we could have the first twenty minutes back it would have been a completely different game. We were very lackluster unfortunately throughout that early period, pretty much handing the game to them on a plate. Add to that some Mickey Mouse defending and we’re 2-0 down before we’ve started.”
Aidan Sim-Campos gave the Auggies a 1-0 lead at the 13:09 mark as Barinedum Kordah centered the ball into the box and Sim-Campos put it through the left side. Not even two minutes later, Augsburg took a 2-0 advantage as Bobby Kohl intercepted a pass and went in for a goal on a breakaway.
Matt Murakami (Jr., Eden Pairie, Minn.) broke the shutout in the 22nd minute as he headed in his team-leading seventh goal of the season off a corner kick by Matt Ouren (So., North Mankato, Minn.). Neither team was able to find the back in the net in the final 67 minutes of the game and the visitors walked away with an upset victory.
“After a stellar October, it was a shame to finish in such a way,” Middleton said. “The lads tried to get some momentum going; we soon got a goal back with a great Matt Murakami header, and then had a wonderful chance with the ball bouncing around in the six-yard box before being cleared of the line. That chance going in, and it would have been a completely different story.
“The second half was much better, dominating much of the play, but it still wasn’t anywhere like we can perform. Lots of endeavor but no great pattern or rhythm. That’s life – no second chances in this scenario – one chance, and that was that. A good life lesson. We have a young group; we must learn and move on.”
Augsburg outshot Gustavus 13-10. Matt Bateman (So., Savage, Minn.) suffered the loss after making six saves. His counterpart, Clark Page, made four saves.