DECORAH, Iowa – Sophomore Jacob Stauffer scored his first-career goal in the second half to bring the St. Olaf College men's soccer team within one goal, but the Oles could get no closer, as host Luther College held on for a 2-1 non-conference victory on Wednesday evening.

With St. Olaf (1-2-0) trailing 2-0, Stauffer scored with the Oles' first shot on goal of the game in the 71st minute off assists from juniors Sam Heupel and Keith Loukas. Luther (3-0-0), however, held on for the victory after Stauffer's goal to remain unbeaten early in the season behind two goals from Ben Keller.

Keller scored in the 28th and 59th minutes to get the Norse out to the 2-0 lead before Stauffer made it a one-goal game, finding the lower-right corner of the net following a cross to get his team within one.

A little over five minutes after Stauffer's strike, sophomore midfielder Lucas Gaulmin nearly tied the game at 2-2, curling a left-footed shot from a few yards outside the box that appeared headed inside the far post, but Luther goalkeeper Carson Davenport produced a diving save to keep the Norse ahead.

Keller broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, knocking in a header off a cross from Victor Machado to make it 1-0. Just under 14 minutes into the second half, Keller doubled his team's lead, firing the ball into the top-right corner from in front of the net off an assist from Rafael Broseghini. 

The Norse recorded 19 shots in the game, including eight shots on goal, compared to just five shots, two on goal, from the Oles. Senior goalkeeper Ben Westermeyer tallied six saves in the contest.

The Oles are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 8 as they travel to Dubuque, Iowa to take on Loras College at 1 p.m.