MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – In a matchup of the last two unbeaten teams in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), the No. 23-ranked St. Olaf College men's soccer team scored three second-half goals to top Augsburg University by a 3-1 score on Saturday evening at Edor Nelson Field.

After a scoreless first 45 minutes, senior Victor Gaulmin, senior Casey McCloskey, and junior Shea Bechtel tallied goals in the second half to lead St. Olaf (10-3-1, 6-0-1 MIAC) past Augsburg (7-3-4, 3-1-3 MIAC). The victory moved the Oles back to the top of the MIAC standings with 19 points, one ahead of Carleton College after the Knights had taken over the top spot with a victory over Hamline University earlier in the day. Additionally, St. Olaf clinched a spot in the MIAC Playoffs with three conference games remaining, marking the fourth-straight season the Oles will compete in the six-team tournament.

St. Olaf's victory also brought an end to Augsburg's 15-game unbeaten streak at home, as the Auggies entered the night 9-0-6 at Edor Nelson Field since the start of 2022. It was also just Augsburg's second loss on its home turf in the last 26 games (17-2-7) since the start of the 2021 season, with the lone other loss coming to Macalester College in the quarterfinals of the MIAC Playoffs on Nov. 1, 2021.

With the Oles playing without leading scorer Hakeem Morgan, who is with the Costa Rica U-23 National Team, Bechtel and Gaulmin registered a goal and an assist apiece in the win. Bechtel's three-point night moved him within one point of the top three in program history with 84 for his career, while Gaulmin became the sixth Ole to join the 20-goal, 20-assist club with the 20th assist of his career.

Junior Peter Forseth helped the Oles keep the game scoreless in the opening half by making three saves on quick succession to deny three different Auggies in the 18th minute. The junior dove down to his left to deny Mizael Harris' initial effort from near the penalty spot before thwarting Owen Salzwedel and Mitchel Munzing on their follow-up efforts.

St. Olaf broke through in the 53rd minute when Gaulmin flicked in a header off a long throw from first year Ryan Bechtel from near the right corner flag. The goal was Gaulmin's seventh of the season, while the younger Bechtel picked up a point for the third-straight game with the assist. Gaulmin's opening goal came after sophomore Aidan Hillis cleared a goal-bound shot by Harris off the line inside the first two minutes.

Just under seven minutes later, McCloskey doubled the Oles' advantage with his third goal in the last four games, slotting the ball inside the far post from the right side off assists from senior Clemente Arcuch Puig and Shea Bechtel. Bechtel's assist was his fifth of the season, tying him with McCloskey for second on the team, and the 28th of his career.

Harris gave Augsburg hope of a comeback in the final 20 minutes by scoring in the 71st minute to make it a 2-1 game, as Harris got on the end of a centering pass from Salzwedel to turn the ball home. The elder Bechtel restored St. Olaf's two-goal advantage in the 84th minute, nodding in a Gaulmin corner kick in front to give the Oles an insurance tally.

St. Olaf outshot Augsburg by a 19-8 margin in the game, including a 13-3 count in the second half, and owned an 8-5 advantage in shots on goal over the 90 minutes. Forseth helped the Oles limit the Auggies, who entered the night ranked 10th in the country in scoring offense at 3.31 goals per game, to one goal by making four saves. Oscar Herrera had five stops for the hosts in the loss.

In its final non-conference game of the regular season, St. Olaf hosts UW-Platteville, which was ranked No. 5 in Region IX this week by the United Soccer Coaches, in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Rolf Mellby Field on Tuesday, Oct. 17.