COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Friday, heading to Saint John's for a 4 p.m. showdown against the Johnnies.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-3-0 MIAC * 6-5-0 Overall) vs. Saint John's Johnnies (1-2-2 MIAC * 2-5-2 Overall)
 
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Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—October 1, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals scored three goals in less than four minutes early in the first half en route to a 3-0 nonconference win over UM-Morris at Ochrymowycz Field | Recap
• Saint John's—October 1, 2017 * Whitewater, Wis.: The Johnnies surrendered single goals in each in dropping a 2-0 nonconference decision to UW-Whitewater | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Saint John's—Their Last Meeting:
• September 17, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Saint Mary's scored the game's only goal in the fifth minute on a goal by James Larson (Polson, Mont.)—and the Cardinals in general, and goalkeeper Nate Levy (Byron, Minn.) in particular, made that goal standup, in dealing the Johnnies a 1-0 setback at Ochrymowycz Field | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals return home to Ochrymowycz Field on Sunday, entertaining UW-Superior in a 1 p.m. nonconference game.
• Saint John's: The Johnnies step out of conference play on Sunday, hosting UM-Morris in a 2 p.m. nonconference game at Haws Field in Collegeville, Minn.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017 Roster | 2017 Statistics | 2017 Schedule
• Last Sunday's game against UM-Morris was the second of back-to-back home games for the Cardinals, who play eight of their first 11 games on their home turf. … Seven of the Cardinals' 11 games this season have been decided by one goal—including all four of their conference games. … Four of the Cardinals' five losses have been decided by a score of 2-1. All told, six of Saint Mary's 11 games have been decided by 2-1 decisions. … Two of the Cardinals' three 2-1 setbacks this season have come in overtime. Saint Mary's played in six overtime games a year ago, going 1-4-1. … The Cardinals' 2-1 win over Bethel snapped their five-game losing streak—not to mention an eight-game conference winless streak (0-7-1)—dating back to a 2-0 win over Concordia on Oct. 1, 2016. … Saint Mary's 2-1 loss to St. Thomas on Sept. 12 snapped the Cardinals' season-opening four-game winning streak. … The Cardinals had started the season 4-0-0 for the first time since opening the 1986 season with four straight wins. It was also the Cardinals' first four-game winning streak since early in the 2000 season. … Charles Reit (Arcadia, Wis.), Sean Butcher (Cave Creek, Ariz.), and Jared Wolt (Farmington, Minn.) scored the Cardinals' three goals in last Sunday's 3-0 win over UM-Morris. … Reit has now scored goals in back-to-back games. … Butcher heads into Friday's conference showdown at Saint John's leading the team in all three offensive categories—goals (5), assists (4), and points (14). … Butcher has recorded at least one point in six of the Cardinals' 11 games this season—including his first collegiate two-goal game against Crown and his first two-assist contest against Viterbo. … Reit netted his first collegiate goal with a first-half tally against Viterbo on Sept. 6. … Kyle Lichttenegger (DePere, Wis.) notched his first two-goal game in a Cardinal uniform vs. Crown on Sept. 1. … The two goals by both Butcher and Lichttenegger vs. Crown on Sept. 1 mark the first time a Cardinal has netted two goals in a game since 2015, when Saint Mary's had three players score twice in a game. … Saint Mary's had not had two players posted multiple-goal games since Matt Graber, Nate Vandegrift, and Midhat Mujic all scored twice against Presentation on Sept. 1, 2013. … Butcher's second goal against Crown on Sept. 1 was on a penalty kick. The Cardinal senior has now netted Saint Mary's last two PKs, having converted the lone penalty kick last season against Hamline on Oct. 8. On the flip side, the Cardinals have allowed four PK goals this season. … Nate Levy (Byron, Minn.) and Alberto Centeno (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) have shared the goalkeeping duties this season. Levy—who finished with a season-high 10 saves against Augsburg on Sept. 22—is 3-3-0 with a 1.17 goals-against-average, while Centeno—who posted a season-high six saves against North Park on Sept. 17—is 3-2-0 with a 2.19 GAA in five starts. … Levy has recorded 10 or more saves in a game four times in his career—including a career-high 13 saves against Carleton on Oct. 29. … Levy recorded three shutouts last season and has posted five shutouts in his collegiate career. … Levy and Jimmy Perreault (Batavia, Ill.) did not have to make a save in shutting out Crown on Sept. 1. Perreault also teamed with Centeno in posting the shutout against UM-Morris last Sunday. … With their 6-0 win over Crown, the Cardinals have posted three wins in which they did not allow a shot on goal over the past two seasons. Saint Mary's did not allow a shot on goal in a pair of 3-0 wins last season—first against Bethany Lutheran on Sept. 7 and then against UM-Morris on Oct. 26. … Saint Mary's 2-1 loss to St. Olaf on Sept. 16 marked the second straight year in which the Oles beat the Cardinals in overtime—owning a 1-0 overtime win a year ago. … All six of Saint Mary's goals against Crown on Sept. 1 came in the second half. … Saint Mary's has scored 10 goals in the first half and 11 in the second. The Cardinals' opponents, meanwhile, have netted eight goals in each half, and solo goals in the first and second overtimes. … With their 6-0 win over Crown on Sept. 1, the Cardinals have now won their season opener in each of the last three seasons. … Saint Mary's victory over Crown on Sept. 1 was the first collegiate coaching win for the Cardinals' Corbin Bowers. … Saint Mary's six goals against Crown on Sept. 1 were the most since the Cardinals netted seven in a 7-0 win over Cornell on Sept. 4, 2015.
 
Scouting The Saint John's Johnnies:
2017 Roster | 2017 Statistics | 2017 Schedule
• After back-to-back road games, Friday's contest against Saint Mary's is the first of two straight home games for the Johnnies. … Both of SJU's wins this season have come at home. The Johnnies are 2-3-0 on their home field, while going 0-2-2 away from Haws Field. … Saint John's has been shut out in three of its five losses this season. … Daniel Bruckbauer heads into Friday's matchup with Saint Mary's with a team-leading three goals, one more than both Kagan Foster and Paul Wadsworth. … Bruckbauer also owns a team-leading seven points, while Zack Boerjan is the team's assist leader with four. … Wadsworth and Bene Cabrera have netted the Johnnies' two game-winning goals. … Saint John's has converted on one of its three penalty kicks this season. On the flip side, SJU's opponents have scored three PK goals in four chances. … Payton Spencer and Nicholas French have shared the goalkeeping duties this season. Spencer boasts a 1.39 goals-against-average and an .824 save percentage in four starts, with French compiling a 3.05 GAA and .636 save percentage in five starts. … Both Spencer and French have made 28 saves. … Saint John's has played four overtime games this season, going 2-0-2. SJU beat Nebraska Wesleyan 4-3 in OT to open the season on Sept. 1, while adding a 2-1 OT win over Augsburg on Sept. 26. The Johnnies has also battled Concordia (3-3) and Bethel (1-1) to double-overtime draws. … SJU scored a season-high four goals in its season-opening 4-3 win over Nebraska Wesleyan, while surrendering a season-high five goals in a 5-1 loss to St. Thomas on Sept. 16. … Saint John's has scored seven of its 12 goals in the first half, while netting three in the second half and two in the first overtime. SJU's opponents have tallied 10 first-half goals and 12 after halftime.