NEW ULM, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s soccer team traveled to Martin Luther on Thursday and defeated the Knights by a score of 9-0. With the win the Gusties improve to 2-0 on the season.
On the win, Head Coach Tudor Flintham said, “Obviously the result stands out in terms of score, and there are certainly big positives with lots of guys getting confidence in the box including Leo, Max, and Raphi with their first collegiate goals. But our biggest goal for the day was match fitness since we haven’t played enough games. That’s why a lot of starters got the extra 10 minutes in the second half, so we could get some more sharpness and work into their legs. We are still a big work in progress, but we are improving and adding a layer each day, and now we look just about ready. Another clean sheet is also a big thing and that unit is starting to gain more urgency and systematic understanding.”
Cole Schwartz (So., Jakarta, Indonesia) got the scoring started again for the Gusties scoring in the third minute. The Gusties then got three goals in quick succession to take a commanding lead. An own goal started it before Raphael Cattelin (Fy., Edina, Minn.) notched his first goal of the season with an assist from Jarod Petrovich (Sr., Plainfield, Ill.). The final goal in the sequence came off the foot of Schwartz off an assist from Matt Gibbons (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.). The Gusties then scored one more first half goal when Luke Laurich (Sr., Batavia, Ill.) scored his first goal of the season assisted by Conrad Cronin (So., Lincoln, Neb.).
Cattelin got it going again in half number two scoring in the 52nd minute to give Gustavus a 6-0 lead. Gibbons then jumped in on the scoring with his second of the season assisted by Cattelin. In the 85th minute Max McLaughlin (Fy., Urbandale, Iowa) scored his first collegiate goal to put the Gusties up eight. In the 88th minute Leo Spry (Jr., Bemidji, Minn.) put the final score of the game into the back of the net to make the score 9-0 with assists going to Daniel Decker (Jr., Saint Louis Park, Minn.) and Laurich.
Wesley Sanders (Fy., Urbandale, Iowa) got his second win of the season with a two-save shutout.
The Gusties will next be in action on Saturday when they host Crown at 3:30.