No. 24 Johnnie soccer opens a three-game homestand with a 4 p.m. match against Saint Mary's on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Haws Field. – Live Stats | Live Video

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (9-1-0, 1-1-0 MIAC) shut out then-No. 22 Colorado College on Saturday night (Sept. 26) at Division I Creighton's Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

After a scoreless first half, sophomore midfielder Gabe Franzman (Bettendorf, Iowa) broke the stalemate 4:43 after the break. Franzman scored the fourth goal of his career off an assist from freshman forward Grady Monette (Andover, Minn.). The goal was Franzman's second of the week after he scored on a PK against North Central (Minn.) on Tuesday. Monette now has five assists and 11 points in his rookie season. 

Freshman forward Soren Benson (Brainerd, Minn./Lake Region Christian) doubled the lead with his third goal of the season in the 63rd minute on an assist to freshman forward Ethan Brown (Lakeville, Minn./Rosemount). 

Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Keekley (St. Louis Park, Minn./Minnetonka) made two saves – one in each half - for his sixth shutout of the season. 

SJU registered statistical advantages in shots (13-9), shots on goal (6-2) and corner kicks (7-2).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Freshman defender Billy Cornett (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) was named the MIAC Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Monday (Sept. 28) after he backstopped SJU to a pair of wins last week. He played the full 90 minutes against CC and had an assist in 38 minutes of Tuesday's (Sept. 22) 11-1 win over North Central (Minn.). The only goal scored on SJU last week was a penalty kick, and Cornett helped hold opponents to six total shots on net. 

SJU also held a goal differential of 13-1 last week and a 23-4 advantage in corner kicks. Cornett played a key role in holding North Central scoreless following its PK, as SJU played a man down for 77:24 and still managed to score nine unanswered goals. The Johnnies registered a 27-10 advantage in shots (14-3 on goal) and a 12-2 margin in corner kicks after the red card.

Cornett is currently second on the team in goals (5) and points (12) in 10 games played so far this fall.

1990: The Johnnies' 9-1 start to the season is the program's best since 1990, when SJU went 10-1 through the first 11 games (13-2 in the first 15) en route to an NCAA Division III Tournament appearance and 12-4 (8-2 MIAC) record. SJU opened the 1987 season with an 11-1-1 mark through 13 games and won 14-straight matches in 1986 before falling to UC-San Diego in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for that year's lone loss.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: SJU returned to the United Soccer Coaches' (USC) top 25 poll at No. 24 earlier today (Tuesday, Sept. 29). The Johnnies' national ranking of No. 20 for the week of Sept. 15-21 was the program's first in the top 25 since Sept. 22, 2015 (No. 20 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll).

SJU also moved up one spot to No. 2 in the USC's Region IX poll.

United Soccer Coaches Region IX Rankings
1. St. Olaf (No. 1 nationally)
2. SJU (No. 24 nationally)
3. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
4. Macalester
5. Gustavus Adolphus
6. Loras (Iowa)
7. Luther (Iowa)
8. Grinnell (Iowa)

The Johnnies are currently No. 10 nationally in the Massey ratings.

NCAA KINGS: The Johnnies currently (through Sept. 28) lead all divisions of NCAA soccer in assists (47), corner kicks per game (10.30), goals (47), goal differential (+44), penalty-kick percentage (1.000/7-for-7), scoring offense (4.70 gpg.), shots on goal per game (11.50) and total points (141).

Individually, Keekley is second in Division III in shutouts (6) and ninth in save percentage (.923), Ryan is fourth in assists (7) and Cornett is fifth in game-winning goals (3).

A LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Saint Mary's (0-7-2, 0-3-0 MIAC) snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw yesterday (Monday, Sept. 28) at Wisconsin-Stout. The Blue Devils gained a quick 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the match before junior defender Caleb Gilbert scored the equalizer, on a penalty kick, in the 76th minute. Gilbert is one of four Cardinals with one goal apiece this fall, joining junior midfielder Gio Barron, junior forward Francesco Cardone and junior forward Than Soe. Senior Ryan Horlock has started six of the nine games and is 0-5-0 with a 2.53 GAA and a .689 save percentage (31 saves). Sophomore Bode Jacobsen is 0-2-2 with a 1.73 GAA and a .727 save percentage (16 saves) in the other three starts (four total appearances. 

A YEAR AGO: SJU scored five goals in the second half, including three from junior forward Ronan O'Connor (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray), to clinch an MIAC Playoff berth with a 5-1 win at Saint Mary's on Oct. 28 (2025) in Winona.

O'Connor broke open the scoring 4:41 into the second half, as sophomore midfielder Eli Ryan (Victoria, Minn./Minnetonka) drew the foul in the box to set up the Johnnies' third converted PK of the season.

Just over six minutes later, O'Connor and sophomore forward Lisle Cherwien (Mound, Minn./Orono) connected on the attack for a cross from Cherwien into the box, which junior defender Thomas Theising (Minneapolis, Minn./Wayzata) tapped into the net for his first collegiate goal.

O'Connor added his second of the game two minutes later, with Cherwien once more directing the offense after a pass from defender Caden Ligman '26 put the ball into the SJU attacking half. Cherwien sent a shot off the Cardinal keeper's hands that bounced off the post and then to the foot of O'Connor in the box. 

O'Connor was denied on his second PK attempt in the 74th minute when SMU's Ryan Horlock made the save to prevent him from completing his hat trick. But, five minutes later, O'Connor reconciled his miss, sending a header from sophomore defender Ryan Josephson (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) into the bottom corner of the goal.

Ivan Ruiz erased the shutout for SMU with his third goal of the season in the 84th minute, but sophomore defender Peter Alberigi (Frisco, Texas/Founders Classical Academy) capitalized on a corner kick play from forward Connor Drong '26 for his first collegiate goal with 31 seconds remaining. 

Sophomore Cole Hanson (Urbandale, Iowa) made one save to earn his fourth-straight victory and improve his season record to 6-2-1.

SJU totaled a 28-10 advantage in shots, including a massive 20-2 margin on goal, and posted 11 corner kicks to the Cardinals' two.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 42-7-6 against the Cardinals since 1976, including a 21-3-5 record in Collegeville. SJU is 14-2-1 in its last 17 meetings overall, with both losses occurring on SMU's pitch (1-0 on Sept. 17, 2016 and 2-1 in overtime on April 25, 2021).