The Johnnie soccer team returns to the pitch with a 1 p.m. match against Bethel on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Ona Orth Complex in Arden Hills. – Live Stats/Live Video

Preview Video:
-Head coach John Haws (0:40)

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (6-5, 3-2 MIAC) returns to action following its heart-breaking 1-0 overtime loss to Carleton last Saturday (Oct. 4) in Collegeville. Carleton's Jordan Cammarota scored on a free kick just outside the goal box 3:36 into the extra frame. Junior Alex Niederloh (Maple Grove, Minn.) and sophomore Nick Van Marter (Portland, Ore./Cleveland) led SJU with three shots apiece. SJU controlled the second half, out-shooting the Knights by a 9-3 (5-0 on goal) advantage, but could not net the game-winner. Junior Kevin Lebahn (New Hope, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) recorded three saves in the loss as the shot total finished at 14-10 (5-4 on goal) in favor of the home team.

A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: Bethel (4-9, 0-5 MIAC) started the 2014 season with a 4-1 record but has lost its last eight matches, including a 5-0 decision on Tuesday (Oct. 7) at Wisconsin-Superior. The Royals have been out-scored 2-25 during the losing streak. Saturday's match is BU's first at home, where it has a 4-1 record, since Sept. 17. Junior Ryan Ness leads the team in goals (7) and points (15), while junior Stephen Gronseth (5g/2a) and senior Matthew Pisarski (4g/4a) have 12 points apiece. Twenty (7g/6a) of the trio's 39 points, however, were recorded in the 9-1 and 3-1 wins over North Central (Sept. 10) and Crown (Sept. 13).

LAST FALL: SJU scored three goals in the final 28 minutes to defeat Bethel by a 4-1 score as part of Family Weekend on last Oct. 12 (2013) in Collegeville. Sophomore Ryley Sullivan (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Gonzaga Prep, Wash.) gave SJU an early 1-0 lead with his first collegiate goal 12:26 into the match. Ryan Ness tied the match at 1-1 for BU with his fourth goal of the year in the 20th minute (19:13). The Johnnies rallied around Joe Balder '14, their senior co-captain who suffered a lower-leg injury in the 65th minute, with three goals en route to the victory. Niederloh tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal at the 72:26 mark of the second half. Senior David Wee (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) recorded his fifth goal of the season nine minutes later on a deep goal kick from Lebahn. Sophomore Rocky Harmon (Hudson, Wis.) ended the scoring for SJU with his first collegiate goal with 1:50 remaining. Lebahn made 13 saves to earn the win and improve to 3-4-2 on the year. The Johnnies out-shot the Royals 16-10 in the second half to finish with a 26-24 edge for the match (15-14 on goal).

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 28-6-4 against Bethel since 1979, including a 12-4-2 record in Arden Hills. SJU had a stretch lasting over 10 years, from 1985-96, in which it went 12-0 against the Royals and is 8-0-1 in the last nine matches since a 2-0 loss to BU on Oct. 26, 2004, in Arden Hills.