The Saint John's soccer team (4-1, 0-0 MIAC) opens conference play at Macalester (1-3, 0-0 MIAC) this Wednesday, Sept. 14. The match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Macalester Stadium in St. Paul. – Watch Live
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: The Johnnies enter Wednesday's MIAC opener with a 4-1 record after suffering their first loss of the 2011 season, a 3-2 decision at NAIA Viterbo (Wis.) Sept. 11. Viterbo gained an early 1-0 lead at the 10:50 mark, while SJU tied the game with a Michael Coborn (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) penalty shot 12 minutes later. Freshman Zane Heinselman (River Falls, Wis.) gave the Johnnies a 2-1 lead less than four minutes after that with Coborn and sophomore Joe Balder (Stillwater, Minn.) collecting assists. The V-Hawks tied the game with less than four minutes left in the first half and added the game-winner at the 73:09 mark. Senior Mike Sikich (Apple Valley, Minn.) made three saves and allowed two goals in 56:33, while sophomore Ryan Brutger (St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo) took the loss, allowing a goal on two shots on net in relief.
COBORN STAYS HOT: Coborn added a goal and an assist in each of the Johnnies' two matches last week. He assisted on the game-winning goal and added a breakaway tally late in the 2-0 win over Wisconsin-Superior Sept. 9, and then proceeded to score a penalty kick and an assist on the other SJU goal in the 3-2 loss at Viterbo. He now has 28 points (11g/6a) in his last seven matches going back to last season, including 18 points (6g/6a) in five matches so far this year. Coborn led the Johnnies with 17 points (6g/5a) in 16 matches last season.
REGIONAL RANKINGS: The Johnnies fell from fifth to sixth in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) North region rankings released Sept. 13.
A LOOK AT THE SCOTS: Macalester enters conference play with a deceiving 1-3 record and the hopes to defend its 2010 MIAC regular-season title. The Scots opened the 2011 season with a 2-1 loss to UMAC-favorite St. Scholastica (Sept. 1) before earning a 1-0 win over Luther of Iowa (Sept. 4). MAC then lost a 2-0 decision to Wartburg (Iowa) on Sept. 9 before traveling to face No. 16 Loras (Iowa) Sept. 11. The Duhawks won the match, 2-1. Sophomore midfielder Robin Forslund (1g/2a) and junior forward Taylor Rasmussen (2g/0a) lead the Scots with four points apiece, while senior goalkeeper Matt Weyer has a 1.50 GAA and a .714 save percentage in all Macalester's 360 minutes this fall.
THE LAST MEETING: Coborn gave SJU an early 1-0 lead with the first of three first-half goals just 10:37 into the match. Macalester tied the game at the 25:00 mark, but Coborn answered putting the Johnnies back ahead 2-1 less than two minutes later. Coborn added his third goal of the first-half with just over three minutes left in the first-half to give SJU a 3-0 halftime lead. The Scots cut their deficit to 3-2 seven minutes into the second half and tied the game 10 minutes later. Coborn had an opportunity for his fourth goal of the game with a penalty shot with just under 25 minutes left in regulation, but missed wide right. The Johnnies would then go into double overtime, eventually losing 4-3. SJU leads the series 17-14-2 since 1981, including an 8-6-2 record in St. Paul.
