NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The top-seeded and fourth-ranked St. Olaf College men's soccer team will play host to second-seeded Macalester College in the championship game of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Playoffs on Saturday afternoon.

After the top-two seeds both won their semifinals, St. Olaf (16-1-3) and Macalester (14-4-0) will vie for the playoff crown and the MIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Rolf Mellby Field on Saturday, Nov. 8. Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs in the title game.

Per MIAC policy, admission will be charged throughout the MIAC Playoffs and all tickets will be sold online through HomeTown Ticketing. There will be no cash sales at any venue, but tickets can be purchased at any time using a mobile device. Tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge) for adults and $3 (plus HTT service charge) for students (with ID). Children ages five and under are admitted for free. MIAC passes are accepted for the MIAC Playoffs, but no other passes are valid.

This year, the MIAC is implementing a one-year pay-per-view trial for the live streams of the MIAC Playoffs for all team sports. All games will be streamed on the MIAC Sports Network and fans can purchase a single-game pass for $10 or a "championship pass" for $25 to stream the entire tournament. On-demand access to all playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.

The MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform. Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues. Live statistics will also be available throughout the tournament.

In the semifinals on Thursday, St. Olaf scored three second-half goals to claim a 3-1 victory over sixth-seeded Saint John's University and return to the championship game for the fifth season in a row. Later in the evening, Macalester booked its spot in the title game with a 2-1 win over third-seeded Gustavus Adolphus College as the Scots advanced to the championship game for the first time since 2017.

In the midst of its 13th appearance in the MIAC Playoffs, St. Olaf is in the championship game for the eighth time (2007, 2011, 2015, 2021-25) and the fifth season in a row, as the Oles look to become the first program to "four-peat" as playoff champions after becoming the first program to win three consecutive MIAC Playoff titles a year ago. St. Olaf is 4-2-1 all-time in the championship game.

Macalester is in the MIAC Playoff field for the 16th time overall and the 11th season in a row. The Scots are in search of their second MIAC Playoff title, previously winning the tournament in 2009, and are 1-5-0 in their previous six appearances in the championship game. Macalester's 2009 title came with the Scots as the No. 2 seed after Macalester knocked off top-seeded Carleton College, 1-0, in the final.

St. Olaf and Macalester have met three previous times in the MIAC Playoffs, with all three coming in the semifinals. The Oles won the most recent meeting, 2-1, in 2023 after the Scots claimed shutout victories in 2004 and 2009. St. Olaf edged Macalester by a 2-1 margin in the regular-season meeting in Northfield on Sept. 20 thanks to a 63rd-minute volley from senior Robi Buzakovic that came 10 minutes after the Scots tied the game at 1-1.