Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The wait was 521 days, and another 77 minutes of gameplay, before Saint John's soccer erupted for a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in a 2-1, season-opening win over Bethel on Sunday, April 11, at Haws Field.

Freshman midfielder Kaidan Popp (Redmond, Wash./Mount Si) started the scoring for SJU (1-0 overall) with his first collegiate goal, on a nice feed from sophomore forward Brandt Belisle (St. Paul, Minn./St. Croix Prep) 76:43 into the game.

Sophomore midfielder Ryan Erickson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Eagan) gave the Johnnies a two-goal cushion – with what proved to be the game-winning goal – 2:43 later on an assist from senior forward Paul Wadsworth (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium).

Bethel cut its deficit in half on a header goal from Jacob Redden - direct off a corner kick - in the 81st minute.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jake Swanson (Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Jefferson) made six saves in his first collegiate start (and action) to earn the win.

SJU out-shot BU, 19-7 (10-7 on goal).

The Johnnies travel to face Concordia (2-0 overall) for a 5 p.m. game on Wednesday, April 14, in Moorhead.