ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict soccer team packed plenty of excitement into its first actual game since November 2019.
 
The Bennies scored two early goals to take a lead, and then Bethel and CSB combined for three goals within three minutes to kick off the second half. When the dust finally settled, the Bennies came away with a 3-2 win over the Royals Sunday afternoon in St. Joseph.
 
Junior forward Roxy Veldman made sure her team got on the board early Sunday. She scored the team's first goal of the season at the 4:35 mark of the first half off an assist from Clara Noack, and then made it 2-0 seven minutes later at the 11:19 mark off another assist from Noack.
 
The Bennies controlled the ball much of the first half, and had the chance to make it 3-0 on a trio of well-placed corner kicks, but the Royals
 
Saint Benedict came out firing in the second half, and had several shots that were off target, and one that came off the crossbar. But it was the Royals who found the back of the net twice within two minutes. The Royals scored first at the 63:47 mark, and again at 65:40 to tie the game.
 
CSB answered Bethel's second goal almost immediately as Lana Krautkremer scored the first goal of her collegiate career at 66:15 off an assist from Karen Phillips.
 
The Royals had two more shots on net in the second half, but Paige Kahlmeyer saved both. The Bennies also had a few late shots, but one was wide and one was a save for the Royals.
 
Bethel finished with eight shots on net to CSB's five, but Kahlmeyer had six saves to help her team hold on for the win. Veldman led the team with four total shots, including two on net, and Noack had three total shots.
 
Saint Benedict hits the road for the first time in 2021 Wednesday, April 14, when it travels to Minneapolis for a 7:30 p.m. game at Augsburg.