The Saint John's Soccer team continues its road stretch with a pair of non-conference matches against NCAA-Tournament teams this weekend. The Johnnies take on Wisconsin-Platteville at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, and end the trip with another 1 p.m. contest at No. 5 Loras (Iowa) on Sunday, Sept. 15, in Dubuque, Iowa. – Platteville Live Stats | Platteville Video | Loras Live Stats
Preview Video:
-Head coach John Haws (0:51)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's enters this weekend's slate of matches with the goal of re-entering the win column following a pair of losses last weekend in Iowa. The Johnnies were nipped by a pair of early goals in a 3-0 loss Sept. 7 at Wartburg and surrendered a 2-0 lead in a 3-2 loss at then-No. 6 Luther Sept. 8. Senior Michael Coborn (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) gave SJU a 1-0 lead on a give-and-go from classmate Matt Carson (Waconia, Minn.), his third goal of the season, 22:51 into the match. Junior David Wee (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) made it 2-0 with his second tally of the season in the 38th minute (37:54). Coborn went up the left side, turned the corner and crossed to an open Wee in front of the net for the goal. The assist, Coborn's 30th, set a new SJU career record. Luther cut the lead in half on a goal 4:32 left in the first half and tied it at 2-2 50 seconds after halftime. The Norse took the lead with 5:37 left in the match. Wee just missed his second goal of the match when he hit the post with under 27 minutes to go in regulation. Sophomore Kevin Lebahn (New Hope, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) made save saves in the loss, his first appearance of the season.
A LOOK AT THE PIONEERS: Wisconsin-Platteville (1-1-2, 0-0-0 WIAC) battled to a scoreless tie with Dubuque (Iowa) this past Wednesday, Sept. 11. Juniors Hunter McMahon and Mbodje Sarr lead the Pioneers with three goals apiece and senior Ian Christensen has played all 400 minutes so far this season in net, collecting a 1.58 GAA and a .533 save percentage (eight saves). Platteville won the WIAC last fall and made it to the round of 16 teams before falling to Loras (2-1). The Pioneers lost to Loras, SJU's opponent on Sunday, by a 5-0 decision Sept. 3 in Dubuque, Iowa.
PREVIOUS MATCHES: The Johnnies are 3-0 all-time against Platteville, though the two schools have not met since Sept. 15, 1996: 1992 (2-0), 1993 (3-0) and 1996 (3-1). In that match, Todd Kuznik '98 scored from a scramble in front of the net in the 69th minute to break the 1-1 tie and lift SJU to a 3-1 non-conference victory in Platteville. Nabil Gharib '97 added the insurance goal.
A LOOK AT THE DUHAWKS: Loras (4-0-2, 0-0-0 IIAC), ranked fifth nationally, battled to a scoreless tie with No. 14 Wisconsin-Oshkosh on the road Sept. 11. Tom Fluegel leads the team with six points (2g/2a), while Pat Langan and Johnny Rummelhart have two goals apiece. Dylan Milkent is responsible for each decision in net for Loras, as well as a 0.65 GAA and a .750 save percentage (12 saves). Loras reached the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2012, falling to eventual national champion Messiah (Pa.) 1-0 in overtime. The Duhawks also advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2011. LC hosts Carroll (Wis.) on Saturday before SJU comes to town.
BACK IN 2008: Loras' Miguel Bonilla scored two goals as the visiting Duhawks, ranked then-No. 12 nationally, defeated Saint John's 2-0 the last times these two schools met on Oct. 12, 2008, in Collegeville. For the second consecutive season, Bonilla scored the game-winning goal against the Johnnies on a penalty kick at the 36:20 mark of the first half. Bonilla won the game on a penalty kick with 2:56 remaining in the first overtime of the 1-0 win over SJU in 2007. Bonilla tallied his second goal of the game 1:08 later. The shots were even at 17-17, including 12-12 on goal, in the match.
