Saint John's soccer begins its abbreviated 2020-21 season against Bethel at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 11, at Haws Field. – Live Stats/Live Video

SPECTATOR POLICY: Spectators will be limited to SJU soccer parents first, then CSB/SJU students and staff (with a CSB/SJU ID) on a first-come, first-served basis for the spaces available. The soccer parents will receive an online document for pre-registration.

-No fans from the opposing team will be allowed at this time. 

-Masks are required at all times.

-Spectators allowed in and around Haws Field may sit in groups of 4. Available seating areas will be labeled.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's returns to the pitch after finishing fourth in the MIAC with a 6-4-0 record (10-8-1 overall) and advanced to the MIAC Playoff semifinals in 2019.

Here's a look at the 2020-21 Johnnies:

Who's in Net?
The biggest question for the Johnnies this season will be who will take over in goal. SJU lost two veterans to graduation, Nicholas French '20 and Payton Spencer '20, who saw significant playing time at goalkeeper in their four years on campus. The pair combined to make 357 saves and tally a 32-31-7 record in 74 career games. 

SJU has three goalkeepers on the roster this spring, sophomores Sam Anderson (Apple Valley, Minn./Holy Angels) and Jake Swanson (Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Jefferson), and freshman Caiden Hennen (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori). Swanson is expected to get the start Sunday. 

Strong Graduating Class
The Johnnies lose a pair of 20-point forwards on offense in Ben Becker (9g/4a) and Kagan Foster (11g/4a), who accounted for nearly half (20 of 41) of the team's goals scored. Becker, Foster, Leighton Lommel '20 and Patrick Erredge '20 combined for 61 points (23g/15a) as seniors in 2019. Foster and Lommel (second consecutive) were named to the All-MIAC first team. 

Foster led the Johnnies in three offensive categories last fall: goals (11), points (26) and shots (55). The 11 goals tied him for fifth-most in an SJU season, while Becker trailed right behind with 22 points (9g/4a). 

Lommel started all 19 games and collected six points (1g/4a), while Erredge posted seven points (2g/3a) in 16 contests.

All-MIAC Honorable Mention Returnees 
Three returning Johnnies were named All-MIAC honorable mention in 2019: sophomore defender Matt D. Anderson (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep), senior defender Joe Parise (Milwaukie, Ore./La Salle Prep) and senior midfielder Paul Wadsworth (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium). 

Anderson played 16 games (15 starts) as a freshman and scored three goals, two of which were game-winners. His three goals and eight points (3g/2a) ranked fourth on the team. Wadsworth finished third on the team with 13 points (4g/5a), including a team-high five assists, in 19 games. Parise made 17 starts and recorded two assists.

SJU's 2021 Spring Schedule
The Johnnies' shortened, 2021 schedule consists of six conference games, four of which will be played at Haws Field in Collegeville. Following Sunday's opener, SJU heads northwest to face Concordia on April 14 in Moorhead. The Johnnies host Gustavus Adolphus three days later (April 17) and then face Saint Mary's in back-to-back games, April 21 in Collegeville (MIAC) and April 25 in Winona (non-conference). SJU ends the season by hosting the final Johnnie-Tommie soccer game May 8. 

A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: Bethel (0-1 overall) started the 2021 spring season with a 2-1 home loss to Concordia Thursday night (April 8) in Arden Hills. Josiah Colman tied the game at 1-1 in the 15th minute, after CC gained a quick 1-0 lead 9:10 in, but Nate Weaver tallied the game-winner in the 64th minute. The Cobbers out-shot the Royals, 17-12 (7-4 on goal).

BU lost its top two scorers but returns the other five goal scorers from the 2019 season, though the Royals averaged one goal per game and recorded a .080 shooting percentage in 18 games (6-11-1, 1-8-1 MIAC) that fall.

17 MONTHS AGO: SJU earned a 2-1 win at Bethel the last time these two teams met on Oct. 29, 2019, in Arden Hills.

Becker scored the game-winning goal, his eighth tally of the season, two seconds into the 62nd minute. Wadsworth found Becker with a pass at the top of the box and the senior ripped a laser to the top-right corner of the net for his 16th career goal and career-high 20th point of the season. For Wadsworth, the helper was his team-leading fifth assist.

Erredge gave SJU a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season, and third of his career, in the 40th minute. He took a pass from Foster, side-stepped a defender and beat the goalkeeper to the far post. The Royals, however, answered 16 seconds later to tie the game at 1-1.

Spencer made five saves in the win. SJU out-shot BU, 20-11 (8-6 on goal).

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 32-9-5 against the Royals since 1975, including a 16-4-2 record in Collegeville. SJU is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings on its home pitch.