DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's and women's soccer teams will both have pivotal conference games on Friday when they take on the University of Minnesota Morris and both will finish the weekend Saturday against Crown College.
Game Schedule: (Game Day Media)
Friday
Men's Soccer at Minnesota Morris – 1 p.m.
(Live Video)
Women's Soccer at Minnesota Morris – 3:30 p.m.
(Live Video)
Saturday
Men's Soccer at Crown – Noon
(Live Video |Live Stats)
Women's Soccer at Crown – 2:30 p.m.
(Live Video | Live Stats)
About the Saints
Record: 12-3-0, 10-0-0 UMAC
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The Saints can clinch the No. 1 seed and at least a share of the conference title with a victory over Morris on Friday.
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The Saints have utilized a balanced offensive attack, with eight players tallying ten or more points on the season.
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CSS leads NCAA Division III in scoring per game (4.8), goals scored (72) and assists (80).
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Adam Hewitt (Richmond Hill, Ontario/St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic HS) leads the UMAC in save percentage with .849 and the Saints defense has recorded eight shutouts this season. Only two teams have scored more than one goal against the Saints this season.
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The Saints are top in the UMAC in nearly every statistical category, including goals scored, goals allowed, shots, assists, corner kicks, shot percentage, and shots per game.
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The Saints have the top four points leaders in the UMAC. Andrew Jenkins (Cardiff, Wales/Whitchurch HS) leads the UMAC in points (38) and goals (16) thus far.
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Joe Watt (London, England/North West Kent College) is second in the UMAC in points with 35, Erik Trochimchuk (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Hammarskjold HS) is third with 30 and Rob Johnson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) is fourth with 27.
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The Saints also have the top five assist leaders in the conference. Watt leads the nation with 19, and Rob Johnson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) is third with 11.
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Sean Morgan (Belfast, Ireland/St. Patrick’s Grammar School), Antony Blackburn (Derby, England/John Port School) and Trochimchuk are tied for third with six each.
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The Saints have outscored UMAC opponents by a score of 67-3, and have not allowed a goal to a UMAC opponent in their last seven games.
About the Cougars
Record: 9-6-1, 8-2-0 UMAC
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The Cougars are currently second in the UMAC behind CSS, but were defeated by the third place Bethany Lutheran 1-0 last Saturday. The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak.
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The Cougar offensive attack has been led by Ebrima Badgie, who has 13 goals on the season, good for second in the UMAC in goals and fifth in points.
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John Hastings has also tallied three goals and four assists on the season, and Matt Vik has five assists.
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Keeper Jacob Borash is second in the UMAC behind St. Scholastica's Hewitt in goals allowed (11) and is third in save percentage (.756).
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The Cougar defense has been crucial to their success, as they have only allowed three goals in victories so far this season.
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The Cougars have outscored UMAC opponents 25-7 so far this season.
Series History: (CSS is 12-3-3 all time vs. Minnesota Morris)
The Saints are undefeated vs. the Cougars in the last nine contests, and have outscored the Cougars 14-5 during that span.
About the Storm
Record: 5-7-2, 4-4-2 UMAC
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The Storm look to build off of their 2-1 victory over Martin Luther on Saturday at home as they take on Northland on Friday at home, then host CSS on Saturday.
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The win over Martin Luther snapped a four-game winless streak.
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Crown has been led by Truman Shetler, who has 11 goals and an assist on the season, good for 23 points. His 11 goals are good for fourth in the UMAC.
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Shetler was also named UMAC Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after his goals against Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther.
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Jason Budish and Zachary Paulson are tied for second on the team with three goals on the year as well. Paulson leads the team with four assists, and Budish is second with three.
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Freshman keeper Duncan Sloan is fourth in the UMAC with 85 saves on the year. The Storm have allowed 24 goals to conference opponents, while scoring 22.
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The Storm are currently fifth in the UMAC standings, but sit just three points back of fourth and final UMAC Tournament spot.
Series History: (CSS is 26-1-1 all time vs. Crown)
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CSS has not fallen to Crown in over a decade, and have shut out Crown in three of its last four meetings.
Women
About the Saints
Record: 11-4-1, 9-1-0 UMAC
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The Saints are coming off a solid 1-0 victory over regionally-ranked Augsburg on Tuesday night.
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CSS is ranked ninth in the North Region by the NSCAA.
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The goalkeeping staff has allowed only four goals in ten conference contests this season.
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Freshman goalie Kelsey Reeves (Eagle River, Alaska/Eagle River HS ) is second in the UMAC with a .861 save percentage.
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Sophomore Kelsey Kehtel (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) paces the Saints with 17 goals on the year for 38 total points.
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Kehtel is averaging a goal per game.
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CSS is second in NCAA Division III, averaging 4.73 goals per game.
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The Saints have outshot opponents 195-70 in the first half this year.
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Shannon Carlson (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS) is ranked fourth in the country in assists per game, 0.93 and total assists, 14.0.
About the Cougars
Record: 10-3-0, 9-1-0 UMAC
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The Cougars are the only team to defeat the Saints this year, a 1-0 victory at Saints Field, which ended CSS's 99-game conference unbeaten streak.
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The lone conference loss this season came against Bethany Lutheran, a 2-1 defeat in Mankato. That is also the only time Morris has allowed a goal in conference play this season.
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Morris has not allowed a goal in the last six games.
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Morris outshoots its opponents 117-57 in the first half.
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The Cougars have 120 corner kicks compared to just 20 by their opponents.
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Zoe Bergstrom paces the Cougars with seven goals and a total of 22 points.
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Rikki Beaver boasts a .789 save percentage in 12 starts this season, including eight shutouts on the year.
Series History: (CSS is 17-5-2 all time vs. Minnesota Morris)
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Morris scored seven minutes in and held on for a 1-0 victory over CSS at Saints Field earlier this season.
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Christina Mollan scored for the Cougars
About the Storm
Record: 4-10-1, 2-7-1 UMAC
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Crown is coming off a 3-2 victory over Martin Luther College, its second conference win of the season.
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Megan Wright paces the Storm with 10 goals on the year.
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Hillary Brondsema has started every game in net and boasts a .801 save percentage.
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Crown has been outshot 206-57 in the first half this season.
Series History: (CSS is 26-0 all time vs. Crown)
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Kelsey Kehtel (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) scored four times in the 6-0 victory over Crown earlier this season.
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The Saints had to win in overtime when these two teams played last year in St. Bonifacius.
