ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With the MIAC playoff race heating up, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team is heading to St. Paul this Saturday, Oct. 11, for a pivotal road matchup against Macalester College. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at John Leaney Field in Macalester Stadium.

The Bennies (5-7 overall, 3-2 MIAC) are looking to regroup after a tough 2-0 loss to St. Olaf on Oct. 4. Despite the setback, Saint Benedict remains tied for fourth in the conference standings with nine points, battling Augsburg for playoff position. Augsburg, which also holds a 3-2 record, owns the tiebreaker thanks to a 2-0 win over CSB earlier this month. The top six teams in the standings will earn a spot in the MIAC Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 3–8, making every match down the stretch critical.

Finding Their Stride
The Bennies have put together convincing MIAC wins over Gustavus (2-0), St. Scholastica (4-0), and Bethel (3-0), and added a 5-2 nonconference victory over UW-Stout along the way. Their only recent losses came against Augsburg and St. Olaf, both by 2-0 scores. As a team, the Bennies are averaging 1.55 goals per game and 14.1 shots, with 81 of their 155 total attempts landing on frame. They've also held opponents to 1.36 goals per game while maintaining a .790 save percentage.

Senior forward Addison Stephani has been an offensive catalyst. Stephani has scored six goals this season—three of them coming in the victories over Gustavus and St. Scholastica—and leads the team with 13 points (10th, MIAC). She currently ranks sixth  in the MIAC in total goals.

Junior Avery Soli has also been a key contributor, tallying four goals and an assist across back-to-back wins over Bethel and UW-Stout. Her two-goal performances in both matches marked a rare feat not seen at CSB since Megan Thompson achieved it in 2019. Soli was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22 and now sits at 12 points on the season, with her five goals ranking 10th in the conference.

Meanwhile, on the defensive end, junior goalkeeper Rhianna Anya has continued to shine. Anya, who earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 15, notched her first career full-match shutout in the win over Gustavus. She's allowed just one goal in 349:12 minutes of action, boasting a stellar 0.26 goals-against average, 33 saves and a .971 save percentage. First-year Claire McGrath has played 505:48, allowing 1.96 goals per game with an .810 save percentage and 47 saves.

Scouting the Scots
Saturday's opponent, Macalester College, enters the match with a 3-6-1 overall record, including 0-4-1 in the MIAC. Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Madeline Buckley, the Scots have faced a tough stretch of conference play. Most recently, they dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to Augsburg on Oct. 6. Prior to that, they tied Saint Mary's (1-1) and fell to Carleton (3-0).

Statistically, Macalester mirrors Saint Benedict in many ways. The Scots average 1.60 goals per game while giving up 1.30 and have a slight edge in shots per game, 11.4 to 10.1.

Series Breakdown
The series between the Bennies and Scots has been competitive over the decades. Macalester holds a 21-16-11 advantage all-time and is 13-20-8 against CSB in MIAC play. The teams last met on Sept. 18, 2024, playing to a scoreless draw. Their first encounter dates back to Sept. 19, 1984, when Macalester earned a 2-1 win. On the road, the Bennies are 5-6-5 against the Scots and will look to narrow the gap on Saturday with playoff positioning on the line.

Kimble Reaches Coaching Milestone
Earlier this season, head coach Steve Kimble celebrated a major milestone—his 100th MIAC victory came in a 2-0 win over Gustavus. Now in his 17th year at the helm, Kimble has compiled a 159-97-35 record. His coaching résumé includes 13 winning seasons, 11 MIAC Playoff appearances, and 10 top-four finishes in the conference.