ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - The College of Saint Benedict soccer team fought hard but ultimately came up short against one of the MIAC's top teams, falling, 3-0, to St. Catherine University on Saturday (Oct. 18) at the CSB Turf Field.

The Bennies (5-10 overall, 3-5 MIAC) held their own through the first half, battling the Wildcats (12-2 overall, 7-1 MIAC) to a scoreless tie at halftime. CSB showed early promise, edging St. Kate's in shots, 10-8, during the opening 45 minutes.

But momentum shifted in the second half.

Just over six minutes into the second half, Lydia Benson broke the deadlock with her third goal of the season, putting St. Catherine ahead, 1-0, off a setup from Maren Schoeberl. The Wildcats doubled their lead in the 75th minute when Briana Henaman found the net, assisted by Bella Meier. St. Kate's capped off their second-half surge in the 86th minute, as Schoeberl scored her first goal of the season, this time assisted by Henaman.

While the Bennies stayed aggressive throughout the match — finishing with 17 total shots — the Wildcats surged ahead with a 14-7 shot advantage in the second half to take a 22-17 lead in total attempts.

CSB goalkeeper Rhianna Anya stood tall despite the scoreline, making 13 saves on the day. Both teams earned three corner kicks in a competitive match that reflected the intensity of late-season MIAC play.

With the loss, Saint Benedict sits sixth in the conference standings with three games remaining before the MIAC Playoffs (Nov. 3-8). Up next, the Bennies travel to Winona, Minn., to face Saint Mary's at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, followed by a home match against Concordia College on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m.