ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After winning the regular season title, the top-seeded College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (10-2) will play host to Cornell (10-7) in the semifinal round of Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) Postseason Tourney at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, May 3 in St. Joseph, Minn.

On Saturday, Saint Ben's clinched the MWLC championship and #1 seed in the MWLC Postseason Tournament (May 3, 6) with a 19-10 home victory against Augsburg. The Bennies ended their inaugural season with a perfect 7-0 conference record and finished first in the MWLC. Lake Forest was second in the conference at 6-1 and Northwestern finished in third at 5-2 with Cornell, fourth, at 4-3. The winner of the CSB/Cornell game will face the Lake Forest/Northwestern win at the site of the higher seed on Saturday, May 6. The MWLC champion advances to the NCAA DIII national tournament.

Season of 1st for Bennies in inaugural season
~ CSB won its first-ever conference title in first year of program
~ Bennies finished the MWLC perfect 7-0, also a first for the program
~ The team recorded first MWLC win in first try over Wartburg on April 5 
~ In first-ever home game, the Bennies prevailed over defending league champ Lake Forest, 16-14

Cornell Notes 
Cornell was ranked fourth in the MWLC preseason poll and finished their season with an 10-7 record, including 4-3 in the Midwest Conference. The Rams head into playoffs ranked fourth in the tournament, led by eighth-year head coach Meredith Meier. Cornell has outscored opponents, 157-139. With 417 shots, the Rams average 22.9 shots per game. Cece Zanoni leads the team with 48 goals and 53 points. Anna Methe has added 26 goals and 28 points. Goalie Hannah Miech has 109 saves.

Series
This is the second-ever meeting between the two programs. In their first meeting on Saturday, April 22, the Bennies won, 10-5.

CSB - By the Numbers
This season, CSB has an 160-99 advantage in goals over opponents, averaging 13.3 goals per game. Overall, this year, CSB has a 160-99 shots edge and 60-57 shots on goal edge. The Bennies have a 21-15 advantage over opponents in free position goals and totaled 100 unassisted goals. The Bennies also have a 271-216 advantage in ground balls, less turnovers than opponents (243-266) and have caused 150 turnovers to just 121 by opponents. In draw controls, CSB is in control at a margin of 174-122 having a .820 successful clear percentage.

Of note, the Bennies have scored 14 or more goals eight times and have allowed five or less six times this year.

Sami Hackley, who was named CSB's first-ever MWLC Offensive Player of the Week, leads the team with 31 goals and with 10 assists has 41 points. Hackley, who has multi-goals in 10-of-11 games, has four goals in a game four times. She has a team high 59 draw controls and is tied for the team lead with 28 ground balls. In conference play, Hackley is eighth in goals with 31 and leads in draw controls with 59.

Grace Fitzgibbons, who was named CSB Athlete of the Week on Monday (May 1), has recorded two five-goals games and has seven games with multi-goals. She is one of six players with double-digit goals and one of three with 20 or more. She has scored 30 goals with 11 assists and has a team-high 41 points. Emma Schrepfer, who has multi-goals in seven games, has a team-high 12 assists to go with 20 goals for 32 points for third in the team. With 20 goals on six assists, Ella Steinke has 29 points. She has multi-goals seven times and scored four in a game twice. Shauna Miller, who has 16 goals and 24 points, has tallied three or more goals five times, including in each of her last two games. Emma Osland, who has multi-goals six times this year, has 20 goals and 23 points. She had a career-high five goals in the win over Wisconsin Stout. Nine or more players have scored five or more goals.

Sami Hackley becomes first-ever at Saint Ben's to earn MWLC Offensive Player of the Week honors
After scoring eight points and leading the College of Saint Benedict to a pair of wins, first-year Sami Hackley has become the first Bennies student-athlete  named the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, April 24. Hackley makes history with the award announcement as she is the first-ever student-athlete in lacrosse to earn the MWLC honor. In the 8-4 road win at Northwestern and a 10-5 home victory against Cornell, Hackley had eight points, including six goals and two assists. She also had 10 ground balls, 17 shots, seven shots on goal and 11 drawn controls. Against Northwestern, she tied her season-best with four goals while dishing an assist along with four ground balls and four draw controls. Against Cornell, she had two goals and as assist with six ground balls and seven draw controls.
 
Grace Fitzgibbons named CSB Athlete of the Week for the first time
Grace Fitzgibbons of the league champion College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (10-2, 7-0 MWLC), who had nine goals and 13 points across two wins this week, has been named the CSB Athletics Athlete of the Week. Fitzgibbons helped Saint Benedict finished the season at 10-2 along with a perfect 7-0 mark in the MWLC. In winning her first-ever honor, she helped CSB win the MWLC title outright and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Fitzgibbons had nine goals and four assists for 13 points in a win over Monmouth. She had 14 total shots and 11 on goal with four draw controls. In the win over Augsburg, she set a season-program best with six goals and two assists for eight points, also a season-game-high. She had a team-season-high in goals scored in a game with six against Augsburg. She scored three straight goals over a 1:06 late in the second period when CSB broke from a 2-2 tie and had a 9-2 quarter for an 11-4 halftime lead.

Season Review 
 
Bennies clinch first-ever MWLC championship with win over Augsburg
CSB (10-2, 7-0, MWLC) wrapped up a 19-10 win over Augsburg (4-11, 2-4 MWLC) and with it the MWLC title outright with a seventh straight win on Saturday (April 29) at the CSB Athletic Field. After the first quarter (2-2 tie), CSB dominated the game and the statistics. CSB had an 8-2 edge in the second quarter to lead 11-4 at halftime. With an 8-to-6 margin in the second half, CSB prevailed, 19-10. The Bennies had a 46-to-20 edge in shots, including 30-to-7 in the first half. CSB also had an 18-to-9 margin in ground balls and a 21-to-11 margin in draw controls. The Bennies, which was 3-of-6 on free position goals, had success on 20-of-21 clears. CSB goalie Chloe Miller had eight saves to lead the defense. In the third period, CSB scored four straight goals for a commanding 15-4 lead. 
 
CSB rolls to sixth straight MWLC win with 17-5 win over Monmouth
Led by four goals by Shauna Miller and Sami Hackley, CSB defeated Monmouth (Ill.) and clinched a share of the MWLC regular season title. Saint Benedict took control of the game against Monmouth early, leading 6-2 after the first quarter. With another 6-2 second quarter, CSB took a 12-4 lead to halftime. In the second half, CSB again dominated with a 5-1 advantage to finish with a 17-5 win. The reigning MWLC Offensive Player of the Week Sami Hackley had four goals in a game for the fourth time this year. In a career-best effort, Shauna Miller also had four goals while adding an assist. Grace Fitzgibbons had her fifth hat trick or better with three goals while handing out a pair of assists. CSB also had two goals from Ella Steinke and Emma Schrepfer while Presley Kraemer had her fifth goal of the season. Saint Ben's domination was shown through its 47-to-14 shots edge, which included a 32-to-8 margin in the first half. CSB also had a 24-to-17 advantage in ground balls.

Bennies fall to UW-LaCrosse
Shauna Miller had a hat trick, but the CSB lost to UW-La Crosse, 18-5, on Monday (April 24) at the CSB Athletic Field. For Miller, it was the third time this season she has had a hat trick (three goals) and now has 12 goals on the season. However, CSB trailed early and couldn't overcome a strong offensive outing by the visiting Eagles. With the setback, CSB had an eight-game winning streak snapped. During the winning streak, the Bennies had a 114-to-55 goal differential. However, today, UW-La Crosse jumped to a 6-2 lead after the first quarter and led 11-to-4 at half-time. It was the first time since falling to UW-River Falls that CSB had trailed at the break. With a 4-0 advantage in the third quarter and 3-1 margin in the final quarter, the Eagles took the 18-5 decision. Aside from the three goals by Miller, Grace Fitzgibbons, and Sami Hackley both had a goal. The numbers favored UW-La Crosse, who had a 45-to-23 shots edge, including 24-to-14 in the first half and 20-to-9 in the second half. The Eagles also had a 22-to-17 margin in ground balls and were successful on 21-of-22 clears. The Bennies had an edge in draw controls, 12-to-10. In goal, Chloe Miller had 14 saves among the 45 shots by the Eagles.

Hackley scores four goals to lead CSB past Northwestern, 8-4
Led by Sami Hackley's four goals, CSB won a showdown for first place in the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference with an 8-4 win over Northwestern (8-4, 3-1 MWLC) on Wednesday night (April 19). After trailing 2-1 after the first quarter, CSB took control with a 7-to-2 margin over the final three quarters. The Bennies had a 2-0 advantage in the second quarter, 2-1 in the third stanza and a 3-1 margin in the fourth quarter. Hackley had another outstanding game for CSB with four goals and an assist for five points. She had nine shots with seven on-goal while recording four ground balls and four draw controls. Emma Schrepfer added two goals and two assists with six shots, including three on goal. It was the fifth time this year for multi-goals for Schrepfer who is second on CSB with 24 points, including 14 goals.  The Bennies also had goals from Ella Steinke and Presley Kraemer. Steinke now has 15 goals while Kraemer had her third of the season. For Lewis, she allowed only four goals in the game, which she has done for the third time. After being outshot 10-to-3 in the first quarter, CSB took control with a 26-to-9 margin over the final three quarters for an overall 29-to-19 edge. CSB also had a 20-to-14 advantage in shots on goal. Overall, the Bennies had 34 turnovers to 38 for Northwestern with 32 grounds balls to 35 for Northwestern. CSB had an 11-to-5 margin in draw controls and were successful on 12-of-14 clears. 
 
Osland's five goals leads CSB Lacrosse to 16-7 win at UW-Stout 
With a career-best five goals from sophomore Emma Osland, CSB recorded its sixth consecutive win with a 16-7 nonconference win over Wisconsin-Stout (0-10) on April 15. Osland became the second Bennies player (Grace Fitzgibbons) to register five goals in a game in the program's first season. As a result, Osland has 14 goals on the season and 16 points. She has scored at least two goals in five of CSB's seven games and now is fifth on the team in scoring with 16 points. The Bennies led 5-2 after a quarter and 9-3 at halftime. With a 7-4 advantage in the second half, the Bennies recorded the win. 
 
Bennies record win in first-ever home game, 16-14 over Lake Forest
In the first home game of its inaugural season, the College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (5-1, 3-0 MWLC) shined while making history in a winning way.
With four goals from Sami Hackley and three from Emma Schrepfer and Shauna Miller, the Bennies recorded their fifth straight win on a history-making day with a 16-14 victory over preseason Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference favorite Lake Forest (4-7, 3-1 MWLC). After trailing 2-0 early, CSB took a 6-3 lead after the first quarter and led, 9-8 at halftime. With a 5-2 edge in the third quarter, CSB extended its lead to 14-10. Although Lake Forest had a 4-2 margin in the final quarter, the Bennies held on for the 16-14 victory. Miller, Hackley and Schrepfer all had hat tricks while Emma Osland scored twice as did Ella Steinke. Molly Davison and Jenna Timm also tallied goals.

CSB wins first-ever MWLC game with dominating 17-4 win over Wartburg
With hat tricks or better from Grace Fitzgibbons, Sami Hackley and Molly Davison, the College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (3-1, 1-0 MWLC) won its first-ever Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) game with a 17-4 decision over Wartburg (2-8, 1-2 MWLC) on Wednesday (April 5). Fitzgibbons and Hackley both had four goals while Davison added three for the Bennies which had five players with two or more goals. With a 13-goal margin, CSB registered a third straight win by double-digit total. In its inaugural season, CSB has already had a series of firsts with another tonight in winning its first-ever conference game in the MWLC. And now they have won three straight games, also a program-first. After opening with a 3-1 lead in the opening quarter, CSB took control in the second stanza with six unanswered goals for an 9-1 lead and finished an 8-to-1 quarter with an 11-2 advantage. Leading that rush was S. Hackley who had a trio of goals. In the second half, CSB had a 6-2 margin, including a 4-0 margin in the final quarter. It was the second straight game when CSB held an opponent scoreless in the final stanza of play.
 
Fitzgibbons and Steinke each tally four goals to goals to lead CSB Lacrosse to 19-5 win at Clarke U
 With four-goal performances from both Grace Fitzgibbons and Ella Steinke, the College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (2-1) earned a nonconference win over Clark (2-4) on Tuesday night at a raining Burrows Field. The victory was the second straight for the Bennies, which scored double-digit goals for the second straight game. The game was originally schedule at 7 p.m., but moved up to 4 p.m., due to weather conditions, After Clarke opened a 2-0 goal lead, the Bennies scored 10 straight goals to end the first period. Schrepfer had the first goal at 11:39 before Hackley tied the game at 2-2 at 11:23 of the first quarter. Then Fitzgibbons (9:47), Miller (8:38), had goals while Annika Anderson (3:35, 2:42) added two in a row for a 6-2 lead. Fitzgibbons struck again at the 1:17 mark which was the one of four in the final 67 seconds of the quarter. When Steinke (1:00) and Timm (:42) and Osland (:20) added goals, CSB led, 10-2.

Fitzgibbons scores five times to lead Bennies to 1^st win - 14-4 over Beloit
CSB 14 Beloit 4 -- The College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (1-1), led by five goals from Grace Fitzgibbons, made history by recording its first-ever win in impressive fashion and on the road on March 26. In a dominating 14-4 win over Beloit (2-3), the Bennies, which had hat tricks or better from Fitzgibbons, Emma Schrepfer, and Shauna Miller, opened an 8-2 lead at halftime and then had a 6-2 edge in the second half. CSB Head Coach Patrick Crandall earned his first career win as the Bennies had control from the start. Fitzgibbons, a first year from Minneapolis, Minn., had a memorable effort. She scored four goals in the first half as the Bennies led, 8-2. Then she added another in the fourth quarter and, with an assist, totaled six points. She scored her five goals in just seven shots. CSB also had three goals from both Schrepfer, who added two assists, and Miller while Emma Osland tallied two goals. The Bennies scored nearly three times as many goals as they did in the 16-5 loss at UW-River Falls in the opener. Osland, Miller, Schrepfer, and Annika Anderson all tallied career first goals. Overall, CSB had a 41-to-14 margin on shots, totaled eight assists, recorded six saves, and had seven ground balls. Meanwhile, Beloit had 23 saves and seven ground balls.

Steinke and Hackley score two goals in first game
The Bennies opened the program's inaugural season with a 16-5 setback at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on March 20. In that opening match, Ella Steinke and Sami Hackley each scored a pair of goals. Steinke scored the program's first goal unassisted at the 9:31 mark of the second quarter. After trailing 3-0 after one quarter, CSB had a pair of second period goals. Down 10-2 in the third quarter, CSB had three goals to match UW-River Falls. In the final quarter, UW-River Falls outscored the Bennies, 3-0. Aside from Hackley and Steinke, CSB had a goal by Grace Fitzgibbons. Overall, CSB was outshot, 44-26 but had 19 shots on goals. CSB had a 13-12 edge in draw controls.

Preseason MWLC Poll – Lake Forest selected 1st
Lake Forest College has been selected to win the 2023 Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches. The Foresters received seven first-place votes and 49 total points in the preseason poll. Lake Forest won the regular season title last season. Hamline was picked to finish second with 39 points and earned one first-place vote. The Pipers have won the past five conference tournament championships, which is a league record. Northwestern was third in the poll with 36 points, Cornell was fourth with 34 points, Wartburg was fifth with 24 points, Augsburg was sixth with 23 points, Saint Benedict was seventh with 13 points, and Monmouth rounded out the poll with 10 points.

CSB led by Patrick Crandall
In December 2021, CSB announced the hiring of Patrick Crandall, one of the state's top prep girl's coaches, was hired to lead the first-year program. He was the head coach at Lakeville South High School from 2011 through the 2022 season. During that time, his teams twice finished as state runners-up and twice finished as state consolation champions before winning a state title in his final season last spring. He directed the CSB program to a 10-2 record and 7-0 in MWLC, a conference championship, and No. 1 seed in the upcoming postseason-tourney.