MANKATO, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's soccer team scored three unanswered goals in the second half to claim a 3-1 non-conference road victory over Bethany Lutheran College on Friday night at Scheels Field.

After falling behind to a penalty kick late in the first half, St. Olaf (2-0-1), which received votes in the United Soccer Coaches national preseason poll, tallied three goals in the second half – two by junior Abdirasak Bulale – to top Bethany Lutheran (0-2-0) for the 17th consecutive meeting between the two programs dating back to 1986. Senior Robi Buzakovic added the game-winning goal on a free kick to the second two-goal performance of Bulale's career.

Neither team managed a shot over the first nearly 21 minutes before Bulale slipped in sophomore Charlie Piller, whose shot was blocked out for a corner kick. Bethany Lutheran generated the game's first shot on goal through Rosalem Tendaie in the 26th minute, but sophomore Beckett Carlson – the reigning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Defensive Player of the Week – made the save at the near post.

In the 29th minute, Carlson punched a shot from Gil Frazao from the top of the box out for a corner to keep the game scoreless. The Vikings made the breakthrough in the 39th minute when Guilherme Gancho scored on a penalty kick after Carlson was judged to have brought down a Viking in the box. Carlson went the right way on Gancho's spot kick, which found the lower-left corner.

After not producing a shot on goal in the first half, St. Olaf tied the game less than three minutes into the second on Bulale's first goal of the night and season. Junior Ryan Bechtel launched a long throw up the middle that Bulale tried to steer into the path of a teammate, but the ball ricocheted right back to Bulale to steer inside the left post with the outside of his right foot.

Bulale nearly doubled his tally in the 67th minute but hit the top-right corner of the woodwork from near the top of the box after Buzakovic slid him in with a quick free kick. The Oles went on to break the tie with two goals in the span of 18 seconds just minutes later.

Buzakovic bent a free kick around the wall and inside the right post from a couple of yards outside the box to put St. Olaf on top with the 18th goal of his career. Right off the ensuing kickoff, Bulale charged down the Bethany Lutheran goalkeeper to block his clearance before lobbing the ball over a Viking defender on the line to make it 3-1.

St. Olaf doubled up Bethany Lutheran in shots (12-6) and held a 5-3 edge in shots on goal while taking eight of the game's 11 corner kicks. Carlson picked up his second win of the season with a two-save night, while Brady Price had two saves for the hosts.

St. Olaf will continue a stretch of four consecutive road games with a trip to Waukesha, Wis. to face Carroll University on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 4 p.m.