INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) announced the hosts for the 2022 Division III Men’s Soccer sectional round late Sunday night and Gustavus is slated to travel to the University of Chicago to take on St. Olaf College this weekend. The third round game will be played at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The winner between Gustavus and St. Olaf will face the winner of Chicago and St. Thomas (Texas) at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Gustavus and St. Olaf are no strangers, having already played each other twice this season and splitting the two games. The Gusties defeated the Oles 2-1 on Oct. 15 in Saint Peter and St. Olaf got revenge on Nov. 5 in the MIAC playoff championship game at Gustavus, winning 2-1. Saturday’s game will be the 58th all-time meeting between Gustavus and St. Olaf with the Gusties holding a 25-20-12 advantage in the series. It will also mark just the third postseason meeting between the two programs and first in the national tournament.
St. Olaf reached the NCAA sectionals with an 8-1 win over Lake Forest followed by a 2-1 win over North Central. Host Chicago, ranked No. 2 in the nation, reached the sectionals with a 2-1 win over Birmingham-So. and then a 4-1 win over Willamette. St. Thomas beat Chapman 2-1, followed by a 2-0 win over Pacific Lutheran. Chicago and St. Thomas will face off at 11 a.m. Saturday, prior to the Gustie-Ole game.
Chicago is in its 13th NCAA appearance with a 19-8-6 all-time record in the national tournament. The Maroons’ best finish is third place, which they have done four times. St. Thomas is in its first ever appearance in the national tournament. St. Olaf is in the NCAA tourney for the eighth time with a 6-7 record. And Gustavus is in its 14th NCAA appearance with a 12-9-8 record. The Gusties’ best finish was national runner up in 2005, which is also the last time they made it to the Sweet 16. They also made it to the Sweet 16 in 2000 and 2004.