SAINT PETER, Minn. — The Gustavus men's soccer team concluded regular season play Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Soccer Field, and put on an impressive offensive performance for the home crowd. The Gusties erupted for six goals against St. Scholastica, rolling to a 6-1 conference victory to end with a record of 8-3-6 overall and 5-2-3 in the MIAC.
The Gusties scored early (and often), as
Jared Hecht tallied his seventh of the season 6:46 into game play. Hecht found the Saints keeper out of position, and chipped the ball over his head to take a 1-0 lead. The Saints got their only goal of the game 17 minutes later, breaking Gustie goalkeeper
Wesley Sanders' shutout to tie the game at one apiece. The Gusties, unfazed, responded with two more goals before the end of the half.
Joe Flory, on a pass from
Jack Knight, found himself in the box and sent a shot into the high right corner for his fourth of the season.
Jack Isroff scored four minutes later, taking a pass from
Rivaldo Pena and beating multiple Saints defenders for the 3-1 lead at the half.
Jack Knight, not satisfied with just an assist on the day, scored his second of the season, getting assists from Isroff and
Otis Anderson for a 4-1 Gustie lead just four minutes into the second frame. Hecht added his second of the day 10 minutes later, with another assist from Anderson, who finished with four helpers.
Nick Katzman closed things out, wrapping up the score at 6-1 for the Gusties with a goal in the 70th minute.
The Gusties outshot the Saints 27-8, including a mark of 13-6 in shots on goal. Hecht, Anderson,
Owen Johnson, and
Joe Flory each had a pair of shots on frame in the game, while five other Gusties accounted for the remainder. Sanders made four saves in 51 minutes of play, while junior
Egan Bedwell made a save in the 38 minutes he saw in goal.
"We had a great response in the second half and could have scored more goals," said Head Coach
Tudor Flintham. "We weren't happy with how sloppy the first half was, but the value to these games is found in the response, and when we reduced the game to individual battles we improved. Every team in this conference can hurt you. You have to go out and be proactive. You have to take space. Play with intensity. Defend with purpose. Demand focus from your teammates. Ask for help when you can't get there. It's a constant exchange of energy & as my youth coach said to me 'You can't charge a dead battery with a dead battery.' When we are 11 full batteries, we are electric and that's what it's going to take from this point on.
"On an individual note,
Otis Anderson broke the single game record for assists. I can't think of a guy I'd rather hold that accomplishment."
The Gusties, who finished third in the final regular season standings, host Saint John's (No. 6 seed) for a MIAC Playoff quarterfinal matchup on Monday in Saint Peter.
