ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict soccer team proved this week that it can hang with – and beat – the top teams in the MIAC.
 
Wednesday, the team went to Augsburg and beat the Auggies – a top-three team in the MIAC – and Saturday, the team wrapped up the week with a double-overtime tie against Bethel, which led the league heading into the game. Both teams scored one goal in each half of regulation, and neither scored in either overtime period and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
 
Saint Benedict is now 3-5-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the MIAC, while Bethel is 8-2-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the league. The Royals are currently second in the MIAC behind St. Olaf and just ahead of Augsburg.
 
CSB got on the board first Saturday afternoon when Roxy Veldman scored the first goal of her collegiate career in the sixth minute of the game. She took a quick pass from Megan Thompson on the left side of the box, and sent a quick shot past the Royals' keeper.
 
That 1-0 lead held until the 38^th minute of the first half when the Royals tied the game on a high kick over Kendall Koenen. Sydney Sherek had a nice shot on net with just three minutes left in the half, but the shot was saved and the two teams went into overtime tied 1-1.
 
Bethel took a 2-1 lead seven minutes into the second half on a quick tap-in by Maggie Sipe, but Sherek made up for her earlier missed shot when she found the back of the net 49 seconds later to even the score at 2-2. The Royals had the ball in front of their own net, and Sherek stole the ball and kicked it through several Bethel defenders and past the keeper to make it a 2-2 game.
 
Both keepers had several saves in the remainder of regulation, and Bethel had a shot that hit the crossbar with six minutes left to play. Clara Noack and Sherek had back-to-back shots on net late in the game, but both were saved and the game went to overtime.
 
Koenen made one big save in overtime, and Corrine Seehusen had a shot blocked and Thompson had a nice shot that was saved, and Hallie Roberts put a shot on net that was saved in the second overtime, and the two teams ended the day in a tie.
 
CSB had a big day offensively, finishing with 19 shots including 14 on net. The Royals had 21 total shots, but only 11 on net. Koenen finished the day with nine saves, including four in both the first and second halves. Kaylee Peterson finished with 12 saves for the Royals.
 
CSB is off now until Saturday, Oct. 6, when it travels to Winona to take on Saint Mary's.