ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After going 3-2-2 over the previous seven games, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team (4-5-2, 2-3-1 MIAC) is set to host Concordia College (5-4-1, 3-2-0 MIAC) in MIAC play at 4 p.m., on Wednesday (Oct. 11) at the CSB Stadium Turf Field.
 
CSB, which fell to Gustavus Adolphus College, 1-0,  on Saturday (Oct. 8), is 2-3-1 in the MIAC is two points (9-to-7) behind Concordia at 3-2 in the league standings. Overall the Bennies sit 4-5-2 overall while Concordia owns a 5-4-1 overall record.   
 
Facing Region IX
The College of Saint Benedict has played four teams ranked in region IX by the United Soccer Coaches. The Bennies fell to UW- Eau Claire (6th in region), 3-2, and No. 10 UW-Lacrosse (1st in the region), 1-0. CSB lost to St. Catherine's (5th in region), 2-0, while also playing to a 0-0 draw against Simpson (No. 2). The Bennies will play Carleton College (No. 4 in region) to finish the regular season on October 28.
 
Concordia Notes
Concordia has won four-of-five games as they face CSB. Directed by fifth-year head coach Rebecca Quimby, Concordia is averaging 1.1 goals and allowing less than a goal per game at .70. The Cobbers are led by Emma Sheflo, who has four goals in nine games played. Sophia Robinson has recorded three goals in nine games. Senior goalkeeper Bre Nelson has a 4-0-1 record with 21 saves and a 1.00 GAA.
 
Series Notes
Against Concordia College, CSB has won six straight games, including a 1-0 decision on Oct. 5, 2022, in St. Joseph, Minn. The Bennies have a 31-14-0 overall series record, which includes a 19-8-0 mark at home and 12-5-0 in road games. CSB also owns a 26-11-0 conference record in the series. The Bennies, which lost, 2-1, in the first matchup on September 29, 1984, is 8-2 in past 10 games against the Cobbers. 
 
Notes on CSB
In 2023, the Bennies have shown balance with goals from 10 players. Junior forward Alli Voss, who was All-MIAC and All-Region a year ago, leads CSB and ranks 18th in the MIAC with three goals on the season. Voss, who had goals in three straight matches this year, has 18 career goals. Voss leads CSB in scoring with seven points. She also has a team-high 24 shots. Addison Stephani has a goal and two assists. Senior Abby Willenbring, a third team U.S. Soccer Scholar All-American, All-MIAC and All-Region honoree in 2022, is second on the team in shots with 17. Willenbring has played 808 minutes on the pitch this season. Goalkeeper Madisen Carter has split time with Annie Waters.  Carter has one shutout and 13 saves in four games played this season. She totals a 0.813 save percentage and an 0.88 goals against average. Waters has three shutouts and a 4-3-1 record with 22 saves in eight games. 
 
As a team, CSB has 12 goals and an average of 1.091 goals per game. The Bennies have recorded 157 shots (14.27 per game) and ranks seven in league play for shots on goal with 81. In corner kicks, the Bennies hold a 50-to-39 edge.
 
Quick season review for the Bennies
The Bennies, which have won three games by shutouts, opened the season 1-2 with all contests decided by a single goal. To open the season, the Bennies split a pair of games as they dropped a 1-0 decision at 12th ranked University of Wisconsin-La Crosse before rebounding with a 2-1 win at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Then, against UW-Eau Claire, the Bennies rallied from a 2-0 deficit with goals from Erica Golenzer and Chloe Moore to draw even. UW-EC scored in the 88^th minute to edge past the Bennies.
 
In the opener, CSB lost to the nationally ranked Eagles in a contest that saw Hayley Slaski score the lone goal. CSB goalie Annie Waters had eight saves in facing 25 shots. CSB had five shots, including two on goal.
 
In game two, the Bennies opened up the scoring in the 34th minute from senior Lana Krautkremer, who recorded her sixth goal of her career off an assist from Addison Stephani. In the second half, the Bennies also received a goal from Ella Young, who had her fifth career goal at the 83:48 mark. UWSP scored with 85:17 left but CSB's defense stepped up as the Bennies recorded its second win of the season.
 
After trailing at halftime in game three against UW-Eau Claire, the Bennies rallied to tie the game late in the second half. First, the deficit was cut in half as senior Erica Golenzer tallied her eighth career goal with a shot to the low right side of the goal at the 54:22 mark. Then first-year Chloe Moore scored on a high right shot to the goal at 74:44 to draw even. The game-winning goal was by UW-EC's Kori Millis at the 87:46 mark of the second half.
 
In the MIAC opener on the road, CSB took a 2-1 loss at Macalester but had a goal from Olivia Miller, who scored off a corner kick with an assist to senior Abby Willenbring. Against the Scotts, CSB had a 14-to-8 shots edge, including 7-5 in shots in goals but came up a little short.
 
In the home MIAC opener on Sept. 16, the Bennies responded with two second half goals, including at 70:54 by Avery Soli, for a 2-0 win over Hamline. Soli's scoring play was the first of her career. At 73:11, Alli Voss, off an assist by Emma Young, scored her first goal of the season and give CSB a 2-0 lead. The Bennies had a 9-to-4 shots edge and 4-to-1 margin in corner kicks.
 
Saint Benedict made it two straight wins with a 3-0 decision over Wartburg in non conference play at home on Sept. 17. Voss played a key role in the win over the Knights with an assist and goal for three points. She has scored goals in consecutive games. Voss's assist to Grace Fitzgibbons allowed CSB to take a 1-0 lead at 59:42. Fitzgibbons scored her first goal of the season and second of her career. At 82.00, Voss scored her second of the season and 17^th of her career. Then, Sydney Burns finished off the scoring with a goal at 85:26 off an assist from Ella Young for the 3-0 decision.
 
On Sept. 24, CSB defeated Saint Mary's, 1-0, on Voss's game-winning goal at 76:16. With a goal from Addison Stephani with 1:06 to play in the first half, CSB had a 1-1 draw with Augsburg on Sept. 27. Then, the Bennies had a 0-0 draw against Simpson at the CSB Athletic Turf Field.  In most recent action, the College of Saint Benedict fell to Gustavus Adolphus College 1-0 on (October 7) in Saint Peter, Minn.
 
Kimble directs CSB Soccer
Head Soccer Coach Steve Kimble, who is in his 15th season, has directed his teams to the top four in the MIAC five times, including a second place finish in 2022 when CSB was 12-5-2 with an 8-2-1 record in league play. Overall, Kimble has a 144-81-29 record at Saint Benedict with a 91-45-14 mark in conference play. CSB has recorded winning seasons in 12 of his 14 years with the program, and has finished the year with a winning record 32 of the past 34 years. Kimble has coached three All-Americans, two MIAC Players of the Year, one MIAC Rookie of the Year, 20 All-Region athletes, 34 All-MIAC athletes and 19 All-MIAC Honorable Mention selections.