ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- With three straight wins, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team (4-3-0, 2-1-0 MIAC) will host Augsburg University (6-1-1, 1-1-1) in MIAC play at 4 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the CSB Stadium Turf Field.

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Inside the Numbers
The 44th all-time matchup with Augsburg will feature two teams separated by a half-game in the league standings. CSB is 2-1 in league play while the Auggies have a 1-1-1 mark. In their recent game, CSB defeated Saint Mary's, 1-0, on the road as All-MIAC performer Alli Voss scored the lone goal for the Bennies at the 76:15 mark. Voss has scored goals in three straight games and leads CSB while ranking ninth in the MIAC. The Bennies have not allowed a goal in 285:48 of time over three plus games.

In 2023, the Bennies, which is ranked eighth in the region by United Soccer Coaches, have exhibited balance as nine players have scored goals, including the three by Voss. CSB is averaging 1.57 goals per game and allowing 1.00, while also having a 98-to-63 edge in shots, Addison Stephani leads the team with two assists. In goal, junior Annie Waters has a 0.87 goals against average and 20 saves with a .769 save percentage. She now ranks fourth in the MIAC and 45th nationally in shutouts.
 
About Augsburg
Augsburg, which is directed by head coach Clara Webby, opened the 2023 season 6-1-1. The Auggies dropped a 3-0 decision to St. Catherine this weekend (September 23), breaking a six-game win streak. Augsburg has recorded wins over Crown College (5-0) and Minnesota Morris (3-1), UW-Superior (4-0), Bethany Lutheran (3-2), Saint Mary's (1-0), and UW-Stout (1-0). The Auggies are led by first year forward, McKenna Nachreiner, who has five goals and 10 points on the season. Jayla Ponce has four goals and six assists for a a team-best 14 total points.
 
Series Notes - CSB leads Augsburg
In the all-time series, the Bennies lead the Auggies, 23-18-3 . In the last meeting, CSB took a 5-1 win on Oct. 1, 2022 at Augsburg. In home matchups, CSB has won 14, lost eight and tied three times while also sitting at a 9-10-0 in away contests. The Bennies won seven straight games from Oct. 7, 1997 to Oct. 14, 2003. In league play, CSB owns a 21-16-3 mark but the Auggies have a 10-9 edge in the past 19 games. On Sept. 11, 1985, the two teams played each other for the first time with CSB recording a 4-1 victory.

Quick review - CSB Soccer
The Bennies, which have won three straight games by shutouts, has opened the season with a 4-3-0 record, including a 2-1-0 in MIAC play. During the opening three games of the season, CSB opened 1-2 with all contests decided by a single goal.  On Sept. 1-2, the Bennies split a pair of games as they dropped a 1-0 decision at 13th 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, whose 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 nonconference 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.

Then, they travel on Sept. 24 to Winona, Minn., and defeated Saint Mary's, 1-0, on Voss's game-winning goal at 76:16 to improve to 2-1 in the MIAC. 

Kimble directs CSB Soccer
Head Coach Steve Kimble has directed CSB to 12 winning seasons in 14 years and a 144-79-27 record including 92-43-13 in the MIAC. The program has had 20 All-Region athletes, 34 All-MIAC honorees and 19 All-MIAC honorable mention selections during his tenure. A year ago, the Bennies had numerous honors, including five first-team All-MIAC performers for the first time in school history. It is a group that will lead this team again in 2023.