SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s soccer team will look to clinch at least a share of the MIAC regular season title on Saturday as they host Macalester at 1 p.m. The Gusties enter the contest 14-3 overall and 8-1 in the MIAC, while the Scots enter 7-5-4 and 5-3-1 in the conference.
Senior Day: As is tradition at Gustavus, the final home game of the regular season is designated as Senior Day and a special tribute is made to the individuals who have dedicated themselves to the men’s soccer program throughout the past four years. The athletic department, Coach Tudor Flintham, parents, and fans salute the six seniors who have represented the program with pride and class. This year’s senior class includes John Toppin (Marietta, Ga.), Joe Brandel (St. Louis Park), Cody Billins (Farmington), Will Richards (Hudson, Wis.), Luke Laurich (Batavia, Ill), and Jarod Petrovich (Plainfield, Ill)
The Series: Saturday’s contest marks the 65th all-time meeting between the Gustavus and Macalester men’s soccer programs with the Gusties holding a 41-16-7 advantage. The two teams met last season on Oct. 27 with Gustavus taking a 1-0 OT win to clinch the MIAC regular season title thanks to a goal from Arthur Parens off a rebounded free kick from Matt Gibbons (Jr., Minneapolis).
Scouting the Gusties: Gustavus comes into the contest most recently defeating Hamline 3-2 Tuesday. Cole Schwartz (So., Jakarta, Indonesia) has distanced himself as the top goal scorer in the MIAC with 19 goals and five assists this season for a conference-best 43 points. Raphael Cattelin (Fy., Edina) has had a solid first-year campaign, notching 12 goals and MIAC-best 13 assists, while Gibbons has added seven goals and 11 assists. Wesley Sanders (Fy., Urbandale, Iowa) has started every game in net, making 51 saves while allowing 15 goals for a save percentage of .773.
Scouting the Scots: Macalester is most recently coming off a 4-0 win over Saint Mary’s Tuesday. The Scots have scored the third fewest goals in the MIAC this season with 23, but have also allowed the third fewest with 14, using the defense to fuel its success. Through 16 contests Nick Moore leads the offense with 10 points, while Chris Bajek and Floyd Krom have nine and eight, respectively. Cade Fink has been strong in net for Macalester, saving 61 shots while allowing 14 goals for a save percentage of .813.