ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The College of Saint Benedict soccer team (5-6, 3-1 MIAC) will host St. Olaf (9-1-1, 3-0-1 MIAC) at the CSB Turf Field for a pivotal MIAC showdown on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 3:30 p.m.

The Bennies have quietly built steam, winning four of their last five and finding their offensive rhythm behind standout performances from senior forward Addison Stephani and junior Avery Soli.

Bennies Finding Their Form
After a slow start to the season, Saint Benedict, which is fourth in the MIAC with a 3-1 record, has found momentum in recent weeks. The Bennies have claimed conference wins over Gustavus (2-0), St. Scholastica (4-0), and Bethel (3-0), and a nonconference victory against UW-Stout (5-2), stringing together strong two-way performances. CSB's only loss recently came against Augsburg (2-0) on Oct. 1.

Senior forward Addison Stephani has been a key contributor, tallying three goals in the wins over Gustavus and St. Scholastica. She leads CSB with six goals this season. She has a team-high 13 points with her six goals ranking fifth in the MIAC. Meanwhile, junior Avery Soli scored four goals and an assist across the Bethel and UW-Stout games, including back-to-back two-goal performances — a feat last matched by Megan Thompson in 2019. Soli was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22 for her efforts, marking CSB's second MIAC weekly honoree this season. As of today, Soli has 12 points with her five goals ranking ninth in the MIAC.

Junior goalkeeper Rhianna Anya earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Week recognition on Sept. 15. And, she continues to excel, including her first career full-game shutout in the 2-0 win against Gustavus. Rhianna Anya has allowed just one goal in 304:12 this season for a 0.30 goals against average and .968 save percentage.

As a team, CSB averages 1.70 goals per game, allowing 1.40, and currently ranks fourth in the MIAC. The Bennies are also seventh in save percentage (.841) and shots on goal per game (7.36).

Scouting the Oles
Led by second-year head coach Molly Fielder, St. Olaf has picked up right where they left off after a record-setting 14-3-3 season in 2024. The Oles, which has a 9-1-1 overall record with a 3-0-1 conference mark, are unbeaten in their last five and currently have a four-game winning streak, all shutout victories. They are tied with Carleton for second place in the MIAC standings.

Statistically, St. Olaf has been dominant:

• 3.00 goals per game
• Just 0.64 goals allowed
• 20.5 shots per game (allowing only 6.7)

Emily Johnson leads the MIAC with 11 goals, while Marit Klagge has a team-high six assists.

In MIAC play, St. Olaf opened with a 1-1 draw against Carleton before rolling past Macalester (2-0) and Gustavus (3-0).

Series History
The Bennies hold a historical edge in the all-time series, 24-16-3, and are 13-11-1 when playing at home. However, in last season's meeting (Oct. 26, 2024), CSB fell just short in a 2-1 loss at St. Olaf.
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Kimble reaches 100 career MIAC wins
Head coach Steve Kimble reached a significant milestone this season, recording his 100th MIAC victory in the team's win over Gustavus. Now in his 17th year, Kimble holds a 159-96-35 career record, including 13 winning seasons, 11 MIAC Playoff appearances, and 10 top-four conference finishes.