Cole Frazier-
In their third MIAC game of the season, the Gustavus Men’s Soccer Team narrowly bested a dangerous Hamline side. With 3-2 being the final score, the Gusties improved their record to 8-0-1 and 3-0 in the conference. Before the game, Hamline was a formidable opponent, having scored the most goals in the conference with an impressive count of 35 goals. The Gusties were equally as powerful, but in the defensive department; only two goals have been scored on them all season. And after last season, where Hamline was able to force a 3-3 draw, it was clear that this game was going to be no easy task for the Gusties.
Before the game, Senior Egan Bedwell was asked about how he had felt the Gusties’ first part of the season had gone: “We’ve locked down some very strong attacks with two different systems and a variety of players. I’m super proud of the way we’ve battled through these first games and I am excited for our upcoming competitions,” Bedwell commented.
The Gusties quickly followed their start-game pattern in the first 20 minutes, pinning the Pipers in the first half and delivering a flurry of shots toward the Piper’s goal. However, this was met with little success until the 25th minute when Sophomore Joe Flory drew a foul in the Piper’s penalty area. It was Flory who stepped up to the spot. He stuttered a bit in his run-up and sent the goalie left while calmly placing the ball into the side of the net; ultimately putting the Gusties up 1-0.
In his celebration, Flory had something to say to the goalie and when asked about it he said, “The goalkeeper decided to chirp me for the duration of my run up. So I was very prompt in shushing him once the ball hit the net after I sent him the wrong way.”
The rest of the first half was somewhat of a stalemate, with the Gusties keeping the Pipers stuck in their half of the field, except for the occasional long ball. The first half ended with the score line 1-0.
The Gusties came for blood at the beginning of the second half. It only took until the 54th minute for the Gustie’s to strike again. After a Hamline throw, the Gusties quickly sprayed the ball out wide to Fifth-year Owen Johnson to spring the counter attack. From around the halfway line, Johnson fired a ball out right to fellow Fifth-year Alex Krummeneur, who calmly collected it and tucked it into the left-side netting of the goal; making it 2-0, in favor of the Gusties.
Unfortunately, in the 75th minute, the Pipers were able to get one back, which was scored by a former Gustie. Just seconds after the play restarted, this same player put a horrific challenge on First-year Cal Avery, which caused the Piper to be shown a red card and sent off; dropping the Pipers down to ten men.
Only a minute later, the Gusties responded promptly to the Piper goal with another one of their own. Again, Johnson was the one who ruined the Pipers’ day with a run beating a few players and slotted it past the keeper to the bottom left corner after being slipped in by Junior Rivaldo Pena. This great play put the Gusties at 3-1.
Although the Pipers were down a player, they put the Gusties under a considerable amount of pressure. In the 83rd minute, the Pipers scored a controversial goal where there seemed to be a foul on the Gustie’s goalie. The Gusties were able to hold on to the one goal lead and the game ended with a score of 3-2.
Johnson, the Gustie who had six shots, one goal, and one assist, was asked about the teams overall mentality this season: “I think the season has been going well so far. We have a great group of guys that are all committed to making something special happen this year. We have been resilient and not a lot of bad moments such as injuries define our results. Our group handles adversity well and it will serve us well as we continue through the rest of the season,” Johnson said.
The Gusties play next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in St. Peter for their game against Augsburg, who are currently undefeated in the MIAC.