Yellowjackets keep rolling

Matt Kelley lets a kick go from mid-field.

Box Score

Yellowjackets 2, St. John's 1

The Yellowjacket men's soccer team continues to roll as they enter the stretch run of their 2013 season. On Tuesday they were on the road, taking on a sub-.500 St. John's team, but the Johnnies gave the Yellowjackets everything they could handle and then some. In the end the Yellowjackets got what they came for - a win. Scoring once on each side of halftime the Yellowjackets outlasted the pesky Johnnies, 2-1.

The win is the third in a row for the Yellowjackets, who are unbeaten in their last six matches and have lost just once in their last eight.

Late in the first half the Yellowjackets opened the scoring. With just 1:13 to play in the half, the Yellowjackets perfectly executed a corner kick. The kick to the far post led to a play in front and Matt Kelley (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) was there to bang home his first goal of the season, giving the Yellowjackets the lead. Nate Engel (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) was credited with the assist on the play.

Early in the second half the lead bulged to two. Brian Grand (North Branch, Minn./North Branch) carried the ball down the wing and let a strong kick go that was stopped by St. John's goalkeeper Ryan Brutger, but the kick glanced off his hands and John Levenick (Champlin, Minn./Champlin) was there to bury the rebound and make the Yellowjacket advantage 2-0 in the 57th minute.

St. John's came back and got on the board in the 63rd minute when they executed a corner kick of their own. Michael Coborn hammered the kick toward traffic, and the ball curved perfectly inside the far post to get the Johnnies on the board and pull them back to within one.

But as has been the case for much of the season, the Yellowjacket defense was strong when it needed to be, and Yellowjacket goalkeeper Matt Elder (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong), who has elevated his play this season, slammed the door, sealing the victory.

Elder got the win, finishing the match with eight saves. His record for the season now stands at 6-3-2. Brutger was tagged with the loss for St. John's, finishing the match with nine saves.

Shots in the match were even at 21-21, while the Yellowjackets held the edge in shots on goal 11-9. Grand was the only Yellowjacket with multiple shots on goal, finishing the match with four.

The Yellowjackets (7-4-2, 1-0-1 WIAC) return home on Sunday, October 13 when they will host MIAC power St. Olaf College at Public Schools Stadium in Duluth. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

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