SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS

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2023: 2-3-2 MIAC, 6-4-4 Overall

CARLETON KNIGHTS

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2023: 6-1-1 MIAC, 13-1-1 Overall

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SMU-CARLETON * LAST MEETING:

Sept. 13, 2022 * Winona, MN

L, 3-0 * Series History

SAINT MARY’S * LAST ACTION:

Oct. 14, 2023 * Winona, MN

St. Scholastica * T, 0-0

CARLETON * LAST ACTION:

Oct. 17, 2023 * Northfield, MN

Augsburg * T, 0-0

SAINT MARY’S * UP NEXT:

Oct. 24, 2023 * St. Paul, MN

Macalester * 7:30

CARLETON * UP NEXT: 

Oct. 28, 2023 * Collegeville, MN

Saint John’s * 1:00

SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS SCOUTING REPORT:

• FOR THE RECORD: The Cardinals head into their conference showdown against Carleton sitting at 6-4-4 overall, including 2-3-2 in conference play.

• LAST TIME OUT: Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) stopped all eight shots in faced in helping the Cardinals battle St. Scholastica to a 0-0 stalemate last Saturday at Ochrymowycz Field.

• HOME SWEET HOME: With their 1-0 win over Concordia last on Sept. 30, SMU has now picked up five of its last eight wins on its home field. The Cardinals are 3-1-3 at Ochrymowycz Field this season.

• STREAK-SNAPPER: The Cardinals put an end to a 24-game conference winless streak (0-22-2) with their 1-0 victory over Concordia on Sept. 30. SMU’s last MIAC victory was a 4-1 triumph over Hamline on Oct. 26, 2019.

• STREAK-SNAPPER II & III: With their 1-0 win over No. 23 Gustavus on Oct. 3 the Cardinals ended a four-game losing streak vs. the Gusties — and put together their first two-game MIAC winning streak since late in the 2019 season … SMU hadn’t won back-to-back league games since dropping Concordia (2-1) on Oct. 19, 2019 and Hamline (4-1) seven days later.

• STREAK-SNAPPER IV: The Cardinals’ 6-0 loss to #23 St. Olaf on Oct. 11 snapped Saint Mary’s five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2). SMU has now put together a five-game, 3-0-2 unbeaten streak in each of the last two seasons, having opened the year 3-0-2 in 2022. … SMU was looking for its first six-game unbeaten streak since 1997, when the Cardinals won six consecutive games.

• TOUGH STRETCH: The Cardinals next two game — both on the road — are against teams that have been ranked at some point this season in United Soccer Coaches Top 25, including Saturday’s showdown against No. 7 Carleton.

• NO. 23: SMU’s 6-0 loss to St. Olaf on Oct. 11 was the second time this season the Cardinals had squared off against a team ranked No. 23 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25, having knocked off then-No. 23 Gustavus 1-0 on Oct. 3 — marking the first time in program history SMU had beaten a nationally ranked team.

• CLOSE CALLS: Thirty-two of the Cardinals’ last 44 games have been decided by one goal or less — including 11 of SMU’s 14 games this season.

• FIT TO BE TIED: The Cardinals’ 0-0 stalemate against St. Scholastica last Saturday was their second 0-0 tie of the season, having also played Concordia to a draw on Sept. 30. The two 0-0 ties mark the first time since the 2015 season — when SMU played to scoreless ties against Bethel and Gustavus in a three-day span — that the Cardinals have had two 0-0 results in the same season. … SMU’s four ties this season are the most since 1994, when SMU played to six deadlocks in finishing 4-7-6 overall.

• CAREER GAMES: Saint Mary’s boasts five players who have scored their first collegiate goals this season. — Cohan Hare (New Richmond, Wis.), Aidan Adamek (Helena, Mont.), Rojan Monger (St. Paul, Minn.), Diego Giles (Columbia Heights, Minn.), Martin Garr (Monticello, Minn.).

• CAREER GAMES II: Hare (New and Adamek each scored their first — and second — collegiate goals in SMU’s season-opening 4-0 win over Martin Luther on Sept. 1.

• HE SHOOTS, AND SCORES: With his goals against Gustavus and Bethel on Oct. 3 and Oct. 7, Hare moved atop the team lead with six goals, two more than Jack Hurley (Homewood, Ill.) and three up on Adamek, while Monger, Giles, Garr, and Cerim Palislamovic (Jacksonville, Fla.) own SMU’s other four goals.

• LENDING A HAND: Along with his six goals, Hare also leads the team with three assists, while Hurley owns a pair of helpers, and Monger, Giles, Garr, Barick Makabi (Iowa City, Iowa) and Martin Garr (Monticello, Minn.) have also collected single assists this season.

• POINT PRODUCER: With five goals and three assists, Hare leads the Cardinals’ points race with 15. Hurley is second on the squad with 10 points (4 G, 2 A), four more than Adamek (3 G), followed by Monger (1 G, 1 A, 3 Pts), Giles (1 G, 1 A, 3 Pts), and Garr (1 G, 1 A).

• PLENTY OF PKs: With his PK goal against Concordia on Sept. 30, Hurley has now accounted for seven of SMU’s last eight penalty-kick goals — going 4-for-4 this season and 3-for-4 a year ago. … Hurley’s seven career PK goals put him No. 1 in program history, three more than Eli Szymanski.

• BETWEEN THE PIPES: Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) has started 12 of the Cardinals’ 14 games this season, compiling a 1.37 goals-against-average and an .827 save percentage. … Sessler led the MIAC in saves last season with 119, and has stopped a league-high 81 shots this season. … Jason Marcus (Gresham, Ore.) did not have to face a shot in his first collegiate start against Lawrence on Sept.27, while Ryan Horlock (Batavia, Ill.) also made his first collegiate appearance against Lawrence, playing the game’s final 45 minutes.

• SHUTTING THEM OUT: Sessler owns four shutouts this season — a seven-save effort against Wisconsin Lutheran on Sept. 3, a two-save showing against Concordia on Sept. 30, a 15-save performance against No. 23 Gustavus on Oct. 3, and an eight-save showing vs. St. Scholastica last Saturday — and now has seven shutouts in his four-year collegiate career. The senior had one shutout in each of his first three seasons — including a 12-save performance in blanking Concordia on Oct. 1, 2022.

• BUSY NIGHTS: Sessler, who made 10 or more saves four times in 2022, stopped a career-high 15 shots in SMU’s 1-0 win over No. 23 Gustavus on Oct. 3, and added a 12-save effort against Bethel four days later. The 15- and 12-save performances vs. Gustavus and Bethel marked the second and third times this season the senior has stopped 10+ shots, having posted a then-career-best 13 saves in a 1-1 tie against Nebraska Wesleyan on Sept. 24. 

• OFF AND RUNNING: With their 4-0 victory over Martin Luther on Sept. 1, the Cardinals improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight season-openers, the lone blemish a 3-0 loss to the University of Dubuque a year ago, and a 1-1 tie with St. Olaf during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. 

• TOTAL DOMINATION: With their 4-0 win against Martin Luther on Sept. 1, the Cardinals are now a perfect 8-0-0 all-time against Martin Luther, and have outscored the Knights 30-2 in those eight meetings. … Saint Mary’s five goals in last year’s 5-2 win over the Knights were a season high — and the most goals scored in a game since netting five against MLC in a 5-0 win in 2021.

• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: The Cardinals’ six wins this season are the most since the 2019 season, when SMU finished 8-10-0. … Saint Mary’s has scored nine of its 16 goals this season in the first half. SMU’s opponents, meanwhile, have netted seven goals in the first half and 11 after the intermission. … Saint Mary’s has attempted 164 shots in 14 games, including 63 on goal, while the Cardinals’ opponents have taken 223 shots, with 103 reaching their target. … SMU netted a season-high four goals in its season-opening 4-0 win over Martin Luther on Sept. 1.

CARLETON SCOUTING REPORT:

• FOR THE RECORD: The Knights head into their conference matchup against Saint Mary’s sitting at 13-1-1 overall, including 6-1-1 in conference play

• LAST TIME OUT: For just the second time this season, the Knights were held off the scoreboard last Tuesday, as Carleton and Augsburg battled to a 0-0 stalemate at Bell Field in Northfield, Minn.

• ON A ROLL: With their tie against Augsburg last Tuesday, the Knights pushed their unbeaten streak to five (4-0-1). Carleton opened the season with nine consecutive wins — allowing just one goal in that nine-game span — before suffering their lone loss of the season — a 1-0 setback to cross-town rival St. Olaf. Since that setback, Carleton has rattled off wins over St. Scholastica (5-0), Cornell (2-1), Macalester (2-1), Hamline (4-0), and tied Augsburg (0-0). … Carleton has outscored its opponents 13-2 during its current five-game unbeaten streak.

• ROAD PERFECTION: Carleton has been a very ungracious guest this season, going a perfect 8-0-0 on the road this season, while sporting a 5-1-1 mark on their home field. … After back-to-back home games against Augsburg and Saint Mary’s, Carleton closes out its 2023 regular-season schedule with a road game at Saint John’s next Saturday.

• IN THE POLLS: The Knights, who were ranked No. 7 a week ago, climbed to No. 4 in the latest United College Soccer national poll. Carleton’s No. 4 ranking is the highest in program history.

• HE SHOOTS, AND SCORES: Ben Pennell heads into Saturday’s showdown against Saint Mary’s boasting a team-leading 11 goals, with Briggs Priem and Trevor Jones sitting tied for second with six tallies. … Blake Jones and Owen Flanagen have both found the back of the net four times, and Justin Crawmer and Jonathan Vonderlage own three goals each. … Pennell, Trevor Jones, and Priem have all posted two-goal games this season.

• LENDING A HELPING HAND: Pennell and Crawmer share the team lead in assists with seven, two more than Blake Jones, and three up on Priem, Flanagan, and Vonderlage. … Pennell, Flanagan, Blake Jones, Priem, and Vonderlage have each collected two assists in a game this season.

• POINT PRODUCTION: With his 11 goals and seven assists, Pennell sits atop the team’s points race with 29. Pennell is one of seven Knights who own 10 or more points this season, being joined by Priem (6 G, 4 A, 16 Pts), Trevor Jones (6 G, 2 A, 14 Pts), Crawmer (3 G, 7 A, 13 Pts), Blake Jones (4 G, 5 A, 13 Pts.), Flanagan (4 G, 4 A, 12 Pts), and Vonderlage (3 G, 4 A, 10 Pts.). … Priem collected a single-game season-high six points (2 G, 2 A) against Concordia on Sept. 16.

• BETWEEN THE PIPES: Daniel Linder and Leo Kugel have shared the goalkeeping duties this season. Linder has started 12 of the Knights’ 15 games, compiling a 0.26 goals-against-average and an .897 save percentage, while Kugel boasts a 029 GAA and .917 save %. … Linder has stopped 26 of the 29 shots he’s faced, with Kugel adding 11 saves on 12 shots. … Linder — who has made a season-high six saves twice this season — owns eight shuts and Kugel has two, with the duo also teaming up for yet another shutout.

• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: The Knights have scored a whopping 48 goals in 15 games, while limiting their opponents to just four. … Carleton has scored 19 goals in the first half and 29 more after the break. The Knights’ opponents have scored twice in each half. … The Knights own six game with four or more goals scored, including six in wins over Northland (6-1) and Simpson (6-0), and a season-high 10 goals in a 10-0 win over Concordia on Sept. 16. … Carleton delivered a season-high 32 shots in last Tuesday’s 0-0 tie against Augsburg, but only four of those 32 shots were on goal. The 32 shot attempts were the most by an MIAC team this season.