ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict soccer team fought hard but ultimately fell, 2-0, to Augsburg in a tightly contested MIAC matchup on Wednesday (Oct. 1) at the CB Turf Field.

Coming into the game riding a strong start in conference play, the Bennies (5-6 overall, 3-1 MIAC) suffered their first MIAC loss of the season. Despite the result, there were standout moments — particularly from first-year goalkeeper Claire McGrath, who stood tall in net with nine saves over the full 90 minutes.

Augsburg struck first midway through the opening half, when Jayla Ponce buried a penalty kick at the 20:53 mark for her ninth goal of the season. The Auggies carried that 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, they doubled their advantage at 63:57, as Allison Hookhorn broke through for an unassisted goal.

Statistically, Augsburg held the edge in total shots (20-13) and shots on goal (11-6), with much of their pressure coming early — including a 13-4 shot advantage in the first half. However, the Bennies earned more corner kicks (5-1) and recorded more saves (9-6), thanks largely to McGrath's effort in goal.

On the offensive side, Lucy Petschel led the Bennies with three shots, while Avery Soli and Veronica Warren added two apiece.

Looking ahead, Saint Benedict will return to the CSB Turf Field on Saturday, Oct. 4, to host St. Olaf. After that, the team hits the road for two critical MIAC matchups — traveling to Macalester on Oct. 11 and Carleton on Oct. 14.