ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – In the first half of Wednesday's MIAC semifinal game, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team looked ready to take on the world.
 
The second-seeded Bennies scored three first-half goals, including two in the first 12 minutes of play, to take an early lead over No. 3 Saint Mary's. In the second half, the Cardinals came out determined to keep their season alive.
 
Saint Mary's scored two goals and controlled the ball much of the half, but goalie Paige Kahlmeyer made some impressive saves and CSB's three goals proved enough as the Bennies held on for a 3-2 win in St. Joe.
 
Saint Benedict advances to the MIAC Championship game for the first time since 2013. The Bennies take on top-seeded St. Kate's at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in St. Paul. The Wildcats beat Gustavus 5-0 in the other conference semifinal Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Bennies came out firing to start the game, and Roxy Veldman scored her eighth goal of the season less than three minutes into the game to give Saint Benedict the momentum and an early lead. She got the ball midway into the Cardinals' zone, dribbled it in herself past the defenders and shot the ball to the right of Cardinal keeper Alexis Nguyen to get CSB on the board.
 
The team's second goal of the game came less than 10 minutes later immediately following a free kick from Ella Young. Nguyen stopped the initial shot after Young's kick, but the rebound bounced off of her body and straight to Clara Noack, who tapped the ball into the back of the net.
 
The score stayed 2-0 until the 42^nd minute when Sydney Burns scored the eventual game-winner off an assist from Caralyn Conners. Burns – who leads the team in assists – took a pass from Conners in the middle of the field, beat the Saint Mary's defenders and sent the ball behind Nguyen. The first half ended with the Bennies outshooting SMU 7-3, including 5-2 in shots on net.
 
The second half, however, was all Saint Mary's. The Cardinals outshot CSB 20-3 in the second half – including 9-1 in shots on net. Kahlmeyer had a save three minutes into the second half, and the Cardinals had six shots that were wide or high in a five-minute stretch, and Kahlmeyer had another save 10 minutes into the half.
 
The Cardinals got on the board in the 67^th minute when Elisia Jensen scored on a corner kick from the left side of the CSB net. The kick bent into the goal behind Kahlmeyer at the last minute to make it 3-1. Seven minutes later, Jensen made it a one-goal game when she took a pass right in front of the CSB goal and popped the ball over Kahlmeyer's head.
 
Saint Mary's had one shot hit the top of the net, and Kahlmeyer made a save on a shot that was straight on two feet in front of her to keep the Bennies up by one. Saint Mary's had several wide shots in the game's final minutes, but CSB's defense was able to hold the Cardinals off and help the team hang on for the win.
 
Kahlmeyer finished with seven second-half saves to keep the Bennies' season alive. Annie Waters had two first-half saves.
 
The Bennies are riding a seven-game win streak and a 12-game unbeaten streak into Saturday's conference title game. The last team to beat Saint Benedict was the Wildcats. St. Kate's beat the Bennies 1-0 on Sept. 15 in St. Joe. St. Kate's is on a 10-game unbeaten streak heading into Saturday.