NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's soccer team extended its regular-season unbeaten streak against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponents to 24 games with a 2-1 victory over Macalester College on Saturday afternoon at Rolf Mellby Field.

In a meeting of regionally-ranked teams, sophomore Charlie Piller gave St. Olaf (7-1-1, 2-0-0 MIAC) an early lead, but Macalester (5-2-0, 0-1-0 MIAC) tied the game early in the second half through Ondieki Maina. Senior Robi Buzakovic provided the game-winning goal for the Oles in the 63rd minute with a long-range volley to get St. Olaf to 19-0-5 in its last 24 MIAC regular-season games.

St. Olaf was ranked one spot ahead of Macalester in this week's United Soccer Coaches Region IX Poll, with the Oles at No. 4 and the Scots at No. 5. The win also improved St. Olaf to 41-5-7 at home since the start of the 2021 season.

Piller gave St. Olaf the opening goal just under 10 minutes in with a curling shot into the top corner from the top of the box for his second goal of the season. The sophomore has recorded at least a goal or an assist in five of the Oles' last six games.

Despite both teams having scoring chances, the game remained 1-0 until Maina lifted the ball over a rushing Jack Hobday in a 1-on-1 in the 54th minute to bring the Scots level at a goal apiece. The tie did not last 10 minutes, however, as Buzakovic drilled a volley from 25 yards out into the lower-left corner for his second goal of the season – the eventual game-winner – in the 63rd minute.

Hobday made a season-high seven saves in goal for St. Olaf, while Justin Ratner had four stops for Macalester. The Oles held a slender 15-13 edge in shots in the game, although the Scots owned an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal.

St. Olaf will take a break from MIAC play for a non-conference home game against Luther College on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m.