COLLEGEVILLE, MINN – Saint John's University's Rene Cabrera scored the game-winning goal in the first overtime period as SJU defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 4-3 in the Prairie Wolves men's soccer opener on Friday night (Sept. 1).
 
It was a fast-paced, high-scoring match right from the start as the two teams combined to score five goals in the first 25 minutes of action.
 
Just over 30 seconds into the match, Saint John's got on the scoreboard on an own goal as the ball bounced off a defender.  Nebraska Wesleyan wasted little time to answer as senior Brady Blazek scored the first goal of the season on an assist from Alex Day to make the score 1-1 less than 2 ½ minutes into the match.
 
Daniel Bruckbauer of SJU then had a flurry of goals to make it a 3-1 advantage.  Bruckbauer got his first goal at the 19:31 mark, then less than one minute later he scored again on a breakaway.
 
Wanting to answer before intermission, junior Jake Kennedy responded for the Prairie Wolves.  Kennedy took a pass from Day to reach the open net in the 24^th minute making the score 3-2.  That would be the score heading into the locker room.
 
Kennedy struck again out of halftime to tie the match up at 3-3.  In the 50^th minute, Kennedy dribbled through the box and fired a shot off the keeper for his second goal of the match.
 
The score would remain at 3-3 the rest of the second half forcing an overtime period.  SJU then got the game-winner 2:28 into the overtime period to earn the season opening victory.
 
NWU had 17 shots in the match, compared to 25 for Saint John's.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan is right back in action on Saturday when they face Carleton College at 5 pm.