Saint John's soccer travels to face Carleton for the MIAC Playoff Championship and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament this Saturday, Nov. 9. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bell Field in Northfield. – Live Stats | Live Video
Preview Video:
-Head coach John Haws (0:39)
STUDENT BUS/FREE ADMISSION: Thanks to the SJU Student Senate, a fan bus will be provided for the first 55 CSB/SJU students and their admission to the game will be covered. The bus is scheduled to depart from the Abbey Bell Banner at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: As mentioned above, the winner of Saturday's match earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The field is scheduled to be announced at noon on Monday, Nov. 11.
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Junior Zane Heinselman (River Falls, Wis.) scored two unanswered goals in the first half to give the Johnnies (9-6-3, 6-2-2 MIAC) a 2-1 win at No. 20 Gustavus Adolphus in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals on Nov. 6 in St. Peter. Mark Tollefsrud gave Gustavus (13-3-1, 10-0-0 MIAC) an early 1-0 lead with his seventh goal of the season 26:45 into the match. Heinselman tied the match at 1-1 six minutes later off a feed from junior David Wee (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) and gave SJU the lead for good on a header shot with 5:32 left off a corner kick by senior Michael Coborn (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral). The assist was the 36th of Coborn's collegiate career, moving him out of a tie with Jim Phelps (1979-81) for third in school history with 88 career points (26g/36a). Senior Ryan Brutger (St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo) made five saves in the win to improve to 5-2-0 on the year (12-10-4 in his career).
FIRST-HALF FLURRY: Prior to Wednesday's match, the Gusties had allowed only one first-half goal in its previous 26 matches going back to last season. The last time GAC allowed two goals in the opening half was a 3-1 home loss to Central (Iowa) on Sept. 10, 2010; a span of 70 matches. SJU has now scored two goals in the first half of a match three times this season (3-2 loss at Luther on Sept. 8, 5-1 win vs. Minnesota-Morris on Aug. 30).
"Z" FOR TWO: It's safe to say that Heinselman's first multi-goal game as a Johnnie came at a good time for SJU Wednesday afternoon. He entered the match with 11 goals in 47 career matches.
A LOOK AT THE KNIGHTS: After waiting an extra 24 hours due to poor field conditions, Carleton (14-2-3, 7-2-1 MIAC) avenged its loss to rival St. Olaf five days prior with a thrilling 1-0 win in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals Nov. 8. Sophomore Branden McGarrity's goal in the 52nd minute proved to be the game-winner, his sixth of the season, sending the Knights to Saturday's showdown with SJU. McGarrity once again leads Carleton in both goals (11) and points (26), followed by a trio bunched near the top: senior Will Corcoran (4g/5a), freshman Peter Passalino (5g/2a) and senior Neil Bartholomay (5g/1a). Senior James Neher is 8-1-2 with a 0.68 GAA and a .795 save percentage (31 saves) in net.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: SJU and Carleton played to a 1-1 tie earlier this season on Oct. 5 in Northfield. Heinselman dribbled into the box and beat the Carleton goalkeeper straight on for his second goal of the season to give SJU a 1-0 lead 16:51 into the match. Jordan Cammarota tied the match at 1-1 for Carleton in the 31st minute (30:52). Sophomore Kevin Lebahn (New Hope, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) made seven saves in the tie as the Knights out-shot the Johnnies 26-5 overall (8-1 on goal).
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 21-9-2 all-time against Carleton since 1983, including a 9-7-1 record in Northfield. The Knights, however, have won four of the last five meetings at Bell Field.
