We played another double over this past weekend and were able to nab two more wins on the season. On homecoming Saturday, we traveled to Saint Mary’s to face a team that had just gained confidence with a great OT win against Augsburg. With kickoff slated for 1pm, we started our day at the Refectory for breakfast at 7:25am. The boys quickly took to their next phase of preparation for the match by sleeping awkwardly on our three-hour bus tour to Winona.
The boys started the match well and found a lead on a header by Kagan Foster in the 11th minute. Saint Mary’s quickly answered with a goal of their own which left us waiting for the non-existent MIAC VAR to overrule for offsides. Nathan Stone put us ahead with a brave finish in traffic off a feed from Ben Becker who quickly nabbed his own goal to give us a 3-1 lead going into the rainy and windy halftime.
Just a couple minutes into the second half Ryan Erickson picked out Nathan Stone on the back post with a cross. Stone wisely put the ball back across the net creating the easiest goal Kagan Foster has likely ever scored. Though Saint Mary’s found two quick goals against play in the 58th minute, Tommy Picka stamped out the comeback with a set piece goal securing the full three points. 5-3 wasn’t how we drew it up, but we will absolutely take it!
On Sunday we played host to UM Morris on Haws field. They were coming off an important UMAC league win the day before and I don’t believe we saw the best they had to offer this time around. The result was a tidy 2-0 win. Nathan Stone struck again with a left footed volley and Paul Wadsworth netted a direct freekick from just outside the box. Nick French earned the shutout without making a save on the day.
As far as MIAC play goes, we’re halfway there. I don’t agree with Jon Bon Jovi that we are living on a prayer, though. We host a dangerous Gustavus side tomorrow at 3:30 for a game with massive playoff implications. We dropped the three points to them last fall in OT which paved the way to their MIAC title. The winner tomorrow would have to be favored to follow that same path this season. If you don’t want to brave the winter weather we are facing tomorrow in Collegeville here is the webcast link.
OUR FAMILY vs. their team,
John Haws
