NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict soccer team did what it needed to do to move in the MIAC standings, but teams around the league had other ideas.
 
CSB shut out Carleton 2-0 in Northfield Saturday to wrap up the regular season, but wins from Augsburg and St. Kate's put the team in fifth heading into next week's MIAC Tournament. CSB – which ends the regular season 8-6-1 overall and 7-3-1 in the MIAC – travels to take on No. 4 St. Kate's at 2 p.m. Tuesday in a quarterfinal matchup.
 
Saint Benedict came out shooting right out of the gate as Brianna Griffin had a shot that was saved in the first minute of play. Carleton came out strong as well, however, as the Knights (5-8-4, 2-6-3) had two shots blocked and one saved by Kendall Koenen in the first 15 minutes.
 
CSB got on the board – and scored all the goals it would need – in the 29^th minute when Nicole Newman scored her first goal of the season off an assist from Megan Thompson. Thompson sent a cross through the box, and Newman put the ball in the back of the net from the left side to make it a 1-0 game. Both teams had at least one shot on net in the final 15 minutes of the half, but the score stayed 1-0.
 
Thompson gave CSB some breathing room with a goal of her own 10 minutes into the second half. She took a pass between the box and the midline, dribbled past the Knights' defenders and scored her ninth goal of the season to make it 2-0 at the 55:18 mark.
 
Koenen had several saves in the final 10 minutes of play, and Carleton had three shots that were wide, and CSB was able to hold on for the win.
 
Carleton held a 13-9 edge in total shots, but CSB finished with a 7-4 margin in shots on net. Koenen finished with four saves to preserve the shutout and pick up her eighth win of the season.
 
This marks the second straight season that CSB has earned a spot in the playoffs, and its 12^th top-five finish in the last 14 seasons.