Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Junior defender Rene Cabrera's (Medford, Ore./South Medford) first collegiate goal 2:28 into overtime gave Saint John's soccer a 4-3 win over Nebraska Wesleyan in the 2017 season opener for both teams Friday, Sept. 1, at Haws Field.

Freshman forward Jack Morrison (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) possessed the ball following a scrum in the box, ripped a shot that was blocked by an NWU defender and deflected straight to Cabrera at the near post.



Junior midfielder Zack Boerjan (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) put SJU on the scoreboard 32 seconds into the match when his centering pass went off an NWU defender for an own goal.

The Prairie Wolves answered, however, less than two minutes later.

Senior Daniel Bruckbauer (Fargo, N.D./Shanley) re-gained the Johnnies' lead in fine fashion with a pair of goals 44 seconds apart, both assisted by Boerjan. The first came off a saved shot from Boerjan and the other was a breakaway thanks to a long volley and a fallen NWU defender.

NWU's Jake Kennedy cut the Johnnies' lead to 3-2 in the 25th minute and tied it in the 51st.

SJU out-shot the Prairie Wolves 25-17 (14-7 on goal) and hit the crossbar twice. Boerjan was denied on a penalty kick, which would have given the home team a 2-1 lead, in the 15th minute.

Senior Jerry Havens (Mead, Wash./Mt. Spokane) provided the late-game heroics for the Johnnies by stopping the potential go-ahead goal for NWU (team save) with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Johnnies continue their three-game homestand to start the season with a pair of matches next weekend, beginning with a 4 p.m. bout with Wartburg (Iowa) on Friday, Sept. 8. Loras (Iowa) visits the home pitch at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10.