#17 Ben Ceder is part of a defensive unit that has allowed just three goals in six games.
The Gustavus Adolphus men’s soccer team is currently ranked No. 20 according to the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. The Gusties fell 12 spots after going 1-1 in its opening week of play against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition. Gustavus fell 2-1 to St. Olaf on Sept. 14, yet rebounded with a 7-0 victory over Concordia on Sept. 17.
The Gusties, who are now 6-1-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the MIAC, are the only ranked representative of the MIAC. Head Coach Mike Middleton’s squad is also ranked third in the North Region, sitting behind UW-Oshkosh (4-1-1) in first and Loras (6-1-1) in second.
Thanks to a pair of seven-goal matches this season, Gustavus is the highest scoring team in the MIAC, averaging 3.67 goals and 21.17 shots per game.
Senior forward Mark Adams ranks second in the conference in points with 15 on six goals and three assists. Freshman forward Zack Brown and senior midfielder Jackson Zoellner also rank in the top-five in scoring. Brown – who leads the league in frosh scoring – sits in fourth with 10 points (4G, 2A) while Zoellner ranks fifth with nine points (2G, 5A).
The Gustavus goalkeepers have combined for four shutouts and just three goals allowed, recording a 0.59 goals against average.
The Gusties are scheduled for two matches this week. On Wednesday they travel to Storm Lake, Iowa for a non-conference matchup against Buena Vista University starting at 4:00 p.m. The club concludes the week back in MIAC play with a match against Saint John’s on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in Collegeville, Minn.