ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With four games left in the regular season, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team (5-9-0, 3-4-0 MIAC) will host St. Catherine (11-2-0, 6-1-0 MIAC) in MIAC play on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 3:30 p.m.

This game marks a pivotal moment in CSB's postseason hopes. After facing the Wildcats, the Bennies will travel to Saint Mary's on Oct. 22, host Concordia College on Oct. 25, and wrap up the regular season at Hamline on Nov. 1. The MIAC Playoffs begin shortly after, running from Nov. 3–8.

Most recently, CSB suffered a narrow 3-2 road defeat to Macalester. Despite the loss, there were bright spots—Summer Seaman notched her third goal of the season, and sophomore Gabby Fernholz recorded the first goal of her collegiate career.

Season Recap 

As the regular season winds down, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team continues to show resilience through a mix of thrilling wins and hard-fought losses.

In their most recent outing, the Bennies came up just short in a 3-2 road loss to Macalester. Despite the defeat, there were moments to celebrate—Summer Seaman netted her third goal of the season, and sophomore Gabby Fernholz scored her first-ever collegiate goal.

That result followed back-to-back defensive struggles in MIAC play, where CSB fell, 1-0, to St. Olaf and, 2-0, against Augsburg. But just prior to that, the Bennies were on a roll.

From Sept. 20–27, CSB strung together an impressive four-game winning streak. It began with a dominant 3-0 conference-opening win over Bethel, continued with high-scoring victories over UW-Stout (5-2) and St. Scholastica (4-0), and culminated in a 2-0 shutout of Gustavus Adolphus.

During that stretch, senior forward Addison Stephani and junior Avery Soli were the driving forces behind the Bennies' offensive surge. Stephani scored three goals across the wins over Gustavus and St. Scholastica, bringing her season total to a team-leading six. Soli, meanwhile, exploded for four goals and an assist in the victories over Bethel and UW-Stout. Her back-to-back two-goal performances marked the first time a Bennie had achieved that feat since Megan Thompson in 2019, earning her MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

It was the second time this season a Bennie earned weekly conference recognition—junior goalkeeper Rhianna Anya was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Week earlier in September after a series of strong performances in net.

The win over Bethel on Sept. 20 was not just a strong conference opener—it was a complete team effort. Soli scored twice, Stephani added a third, and goalkeepers Claire McGrath and Anya combined for a clean sheet.

Off the conference slate, CSB has endured a tough nonconference schedule. Still, there were bright spots. On Sept. 13, first-year forward Elly Prairie scored the game-winner in a 1-0 road victory at UW-Eau Claire—the team's first win of the season. The following day, CSB nearly pulled off a sweep in Wisconsin but dropped a narrow 2-1 decision to UW-Oshkosh, with Stephani scoring her first goal of the year.

The Bennies also saw strong offensive play in a high-scoring 5-2 win over UW-Stout, where Soli and company overwhelmed the Blue Devils. That same week, CSB's offense lit up the field in a 4-0 rout of St. Scholastica, which also featured the first career goal from Jessica Decowski and scores from Soli, Stephani, and Seaman.

Earlier in the season, CSB tested itself against nationally ranked opponents, including a 4-0 loss to then-No. 5 Emory and a competitive 2-1 defeat against Wartburg.

 Offense, Defense, and the Numbers Game

Statistically, the Bennies have scored 19 goals in 14 games—averaging 1.36 per match—while allowing 1.71 goals per game. They've taken 12.6 shots per game, compared to 19.4 by their opponents, and trail in corner kicks (73 to 38). However, CSB goalkeepers have kept them in many matches, leading in saves by a wide margin (112 to 74). Stephani leads the team in scoring with six goals and 13 points, placing her 12th in the MIAC for total points and tied for 8th in goals. Soli is close behind with five goals and 12 points, ranking 13th in the conference in scoring.

Scouting the Wildcats
Under the direction of head coach Jesse Campos, now in his eighth season, St. Catherine has emerged as a strong contender in the MIAC. With a record of 11-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play, the Wildcats are averaging 2.62 goals per game while allowing just 0.46—an impressive defensive record. Offensively, Bella Meier leads the Wildcats with nine goals and four assists, totaling 22 points. In their recent matches, St. Kate's picked up a 3-0 win over St. Scholastica and a 2-1 victory over Saint Mary's, while falling, 1-0, to Carleton.

Series History  
Saint Benedict and St. Catherine have had a long-standing, competitive series. The Bennies hold a 23-19-2 edge all-time, including a 17-9-1 mark at home. However, recent history favors the Wildcats, with CSB dropping a 2-1 decision in their last meeting on Nov. 2, 2024. The Bennies' most recent win in the series came in 2021—a 1-0 victory.

Coach Kimble leads CSB Program
This season also saw a historic achievement for head coach Steve Kimble, who earned his 100th MIAC win with the team's 2-0 victory over Gustavus. Now in his 17th year leading the program, Kimble holds a career record of 159-98-35. Under his guidance, the Bennies have had 13 winning seasons, made 11 MIAC Playoff appearances, and finished in the conference's top four 10 times.