7:05 p.m. -- Welcome to our first-ever soccer live blog! We are in the Rock Bowl press box on the campus of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, for Augsburg's NCAA Division III men's soccer sectional game between Augsburg and Loras. The winner will advance to face Ohio Northern (20-5-1), who beat Hobart (N.Y., 18-1-3) 2-1 in the first game tonight. ONU scored twice in a 15-minute span early in the second half, and held off a strong comeback by Hobart to advance to Sunday's sectional final.Like everywhere in the Midwest this weekend, it's COLD! The Weather Channel says it's 32 degrees here in Dubuque, with a windchill of 26 (at least it's not too windy!). The Rock Bowl is a unique stadium ... it's literally what it's named as, a stadium cut into a rock bowl in a little valley between hills on the upper end of Dubuque, a city on the mighty Mississippi River. It's a FieldTurf surface, a lot like Augsburg's Edor Nelson Field's SprinTurf surface, except it's several yards wider than the Augsburg stadium. It may be like the wide field Augsburg faces when it plays at Gustavus ... but Augsburg did claim a win at Gustavus in the MIAC playoffs this year, so hopefully that trend will continue tonight.
Given the wintry conditions, the crowd is a little small, but there is still a hearty contingent of Auggie supporters here, both parents and alumni, bundled up and sitting right below us near the center of the field. There was a small reception sponsored by the Augsburg Alumni and Consitutent Relations department in the student center here before the game.
Looks like it will be a 7:40 p.m., or so start time ... watch the live video online and come back here periodically for some updates in print. Hopefully, it's going to be a great game!
8:10 p.m. -- About 20 minutes to go in the first half ... Both teams have had a couple of good chances. Five minutes in, Loras had a corner kick that came in on one bounce to Nate Minkel, right in front of the net, but his header just went over the crossbar. A minute later, Augsburg's D.J. Wendell played a nice sprint deep into Loras territory and earned a corner kick, but the Auggies couldn't convert. Nine minutes in, Augsburg's Alex Hildebrandt had a great chance on a header off a corner kick in front, but his header went high.
Goalkeeper Pascaul Venter made a great stop on a cross with 34 minutes left in the first half. With 24 minutes left, a shot by Van Hong went wide.
The game has been a good defensive struggle ... Augsburg has been known for its defense, giving up just 11 goals so far this season, and the Auggie backs have put some solid pressure on the Loras 3-5-2 alignment. Weather conditions don't seem to be a major factor. Yes, it's cold, but the guys seem to be used to it.
OH, WOW ... 18:45 left ... Augsburg had a great chance on a corner kick. The goalkeeper went forward and left the goal a bit exposed, and an Auggie header hit the bottom of the crossbar and bounced back away from the goal. Best chance of the game so far. A minute later, Augsburg has another chance on a counter-attack, but a cross goes just wide.
8:25 p.m. ... 10 minutes left in the first half ... James See is incredible. With 14 minutes left, he gets fouled and goes down, but he gets back up after a short stoppage. A minute later, he nearly puts the Auggies on the scoreboard on a terrific shot, but it misses high. Coach Greg Holker always has compliments for See as one of the best players in the entire conference, and his play tonight has been exemplary so far.
A few minutes later, subsitute defender Simon Rekkebo does a great job of stopping a Loras chance inside the penalty box, with some nifty footwork to jar the ball from the Loras forward.
In the last couple minutes, Augsburg has been whistled twice for offsides. Augsburg has started to take more control of possession, though it has gone back and forth between these two talented teams ... as you'd expect from a playoff game this deep into the tournament.
8:30 p.m. -- HALFTIME -- 0-0.
In the last half-hour of play, Augsburg has definitely dominated the scoring chances. Stats show six shots for Augsburg to one for Loras ... none on-goal as of yet. With three minutes left in the half, Peter Osborn served a nice free kick from 30 yards out into the box, and Marcus Elmerskog missed high on a shot on the loose ball. In the final minute, Lucas Ingram had a corner kick from 40 yards out which was smothered by Loras goalkeeper Nate DuBois. And in the closing seconds, goalkeeper Pascaul Venter made a nice stop on a Loras cross.
The game has been physical -- Loras has eight fouls, while Augsburg has six -- but not out of control. Both teams are showing good poise in their possessions. Augsburg has made some nice passes and has put together some solid counterattacks.
The first game tonight, between Hobart (N.Y.) and Ohio Northern, was also tied 0-0 at halftime, and ONU scored twice in the first 21 minutes of the second half to gain a 2-1 win ... will we see the same offensive fireworks in this game? Stay tuned -- it's going to be a good one!
8:48 p.m. -- GOAL!!!! AUGSBURG 1-0! (43:37 remaining in second half)
A minute into the second half, Augsburg's Marcus Elmerskog was fouled on a drive from 30 yards out, drawing a free kick. From the right side about 30 yards out, Andrew Seidel made a perfect service across the box to the left, and fittingly, Elmerskog finished it, diving for a shot past the Loras goalkeeper and into the net. Auggies ahead on the Norwegian's second goal of the year.
9:15 p.m. -- 20 minutes left, Augsburg leading 1-0
As a lot of soccer teams do when they get a goal in a close game, Augsburg's defense has collapsed, with five defenders back (again, James See has made a terrific adjustment to directing the defense from his center-mid position). The whole defense has played great so far. Even so, Augsburg has had some decent counter-attacks, but the Loras defense has also played well.
Loras has had a couple of huge chances in the past few minutes. With 27 minutes left, a Loras header was saved by Venter, and five minutes later, Loras had one of their best chances to score, as a shot was punched out in a scrum by Venter, and the resulting rebound was shot high over the crossbar.
9:23 p.m. -- GOAL -- Augsburg 1, Loras 1. (10 minutes left in second half)
Loras has had a lot of chances in the last few minutes, and they finally cashed one in. Loras had four shots on a scramble -- a shot by Sean Crosby deflected off the crossbar, two shots were blocked, and Justin McCord finally converted for the Duhawks, putting a shot from left to right across the crease, bouncing off the far post and into the net.
A brand new ballgame. Loras has had the momentum lately, but it may be time for an Augsburg comeback ...
9:35 p.m. -- END OF REGULATION -- Augsburg 1, Loras 1 -- We're going to overtime!
After the Loras goal, the Duhawks had another chance to score, but Venter made a great stop on a three-way pass play in the box. Augsburg has tried to counterattack, but was whistled for offsides three times. On a free kick with five minutes left, Augsburg had a chance to score on a scramble in the box, but a shot by Andrew Seidel on the left side of the six-yard box was blocked.
Time for overtime ... Augsburg has played nine overtime games this year, with a 1-1-7 record. Two of those seven ties have been playoff shootouts (PK shootouts are officially recorded as ties), with Carleton winning the PK battle in the MIAC playoff championship game on Nov. 8, and Augsburg winning the PK battle in the first-round NCAA playoff win at Whitworth (Wash.) on Nov. 13.
9:52 p.m. -- END OF FIRST OVERTIME -- Augsburg 1, Loras 1 -- More bonus soccer!
A scoreless first 10 minutes of overtime. Loras had a decent chance to score with 3:30 left, but a shot by Donnie St. George went high. Augsburg had three good chances in the last three minutes -- a shot by Marcus Elmerskog went wide with 2:56 left, a shot by Nick Anderson off a great feed by Alex Hilderandt went wide with 2:20 left, and a long shot by James See was saved by the Loras goalkeeper.
Another 10 minute, sudden-victory overtime ... if things are still tied, it's shootout time!
10:00 -- GOAL -- LORAS 2, AUGSBURG 1 (2OT).
And a great season for Augsburg comes to an end. Augsburg had a couple of chances left, but on a counterattack by Loras with 4:30 left, Nick Berndt played a ball on the sprint from right to left past Pascaul Venter, putting it in the goal and enabling host Loras to advance to the sectional final tomorrow night.
We'll have a game story and stats online shortly. What a great season for Augsburg ... In its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, the Auggies finished 12-4-7 and reaching heights never before achieved by this team. What a special year, and what a special team.
