ST. JOSEPH, MINN. -- The College of Saint Benedict Soccer Team (8-4, 5-2, 2nd, MIAC), which has won seven of its last eight matches, hits a road for a pair of matches this weekend. First, the Bennies travel to Hamline University (3-6-4, 1-5-1, 11th, MIAC) on Saturday, Oct. 15 for a 1 pm MIAC match in St. Paul, Minn. On Sunday, CSB will travel to No. 7 Wartburg College for a nonconference match at 3 p.m. at Salzwedel Field in Waverly, Iowa.
After the match Sunday against Wartburg, Head Coach Steve Kimble and his squad will return home to host two matches, including Macalester College at 1 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the CSB Soccer Field in St. Joseph, Minn. Then on Oct. 25, CSB will host the College of St. Scholastica at 3:30 p.m.
Bennies ranked seventh in the region – won 7-of-8
Over the last eight matches, CSB, who was ranked seventh in the most recent regional rankings (Oct. 5-11) by United Soccer Coaches (USC),
has seven wins and a goal differential of 21-3 with four shutouts. CSB had a six-match winning streak stopped at St. Olaf on Oct. 8. CSB is averaging 2.46 goals per match, 2
nd in the MIAC, and allowed .77 for a 1.69 margin, also second in the league. This season, CSB has 32 goals for second in the league.
Alli Voss leads the MIAC with 10 goals and leads in game-winning goals with four. She has scored 22 points, which ties her with Casey MacVeagh of Carleton for the league high in points with 22. With those four kicks, she ranks tied for 12
th in NCAA DII.
Caralyn Conners has 17 points and six goals, which ranks her sixth in both categories in the MIAC. In goal,
Annie Waters is 5-2 with 27 saves while Paige Kahlmeyer is 4-2 with 31 saves. In the DII national stats, Kahlmeyer, who is ninth in the MIAC with 2.50 saves game, ranks 47
th in goals against average in DIII but leads the MIAC. She has 31 saves in 13 matches and allowed just five goals for the .861 mark.
Hamline Notes
Hamline has opened with a 3-6-4 (1-5-1 in the MIAC) record but have dropped 4 straight including 2-0 setbacks to Augsburg and St. Catherines. Over the last five matches, Hamline is 1-2-2. Hamline averages 0.69 goals per match and allows just 0.92 They have scored nine goals, including three by Maya Dempsey, and registered 85 saves.
CSB leads Hamline in all-time series
The last time the Bennies and the Pipers met was Oct 16, 2021, with CSB taking a 3-0 decision. CSB trailed 1-0 at halftime before Roxy Veldman would bring the lead to 2-0 in the (60th minute) with a pass across from
Sydney Burns. The third goal was scored (68
th minute) by Lana Krautkremer. In the history of series, CSB has a 28-2 advantage and has three straight wins. At Hamline, CSB has a 12-2 mark and sits 28-2 all-time in conference play. CSB is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.
Notes on Wartburg
Wartburg has opened with a 12-0-2 record with its most recent victory, a 6-0 decision over Coe College on October 11 in Cedar Rapids. Over the last five matches, Wartburg stands 6-0-2. Wartburg averages 3.07 goals per match and allows just 0.50 They have a 43-to-7 differential in goals scored with a margin of 283 shots to 124 for opponents. In goal, they have totaled 45 saves while opponents have 89. Katie Berglund and Late Luers lead with seven goals each along with 17 points each.
Wartburg leads the series, 6-5-2
Wartburg has two straight wins over CSB, including the most recent match which was a 4-0 decision on Sept. 4, 2021. At home, Wartburg is 4-2-1 vs the Bennies. In the last 10 matches, CSB is 3-5-2 with their last win a 3-2 overtime decision on Sept. 8, 2018, at the CSB Soccer Field.
Quick look at Head Coach Steve Kimble
The Bennies, which has opened 2022 with nine wins in 13 matches, have finished in the top four in eight of Kimble's 13 seasons. Kimble, who also serves as Assistant Athletic Director at CSB, is 137-75-25 overall at Saint Benedict with an 86-40-11 mark in conference play. CSB has recorded winning seasons in 11 of his 13 years with the program and has finished the year with a winning record 31 of the past 33 years. In 13 seasons, Kimble has coached three All-Americans, two MIAC Players of the Year, one MIAC Rookie of the Year, 18 All-Region athletes, 29 All-MIAC athletes and 19 All-MIAC Honorable Mention selections.
