MINNEAPOLIS – For the second straight game, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team secured a shutout win, as the Bennies blanked Augsburg University, 4-nil, Saturday, Oct. 3. With the victory, CSB improves to 9-1-1 overall, 4-1-1 against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponents, while Augsburg dips to 1-7-2 overall (1-4-1 MIAC). It marks Saint Benedict's first win over AU since 2022 as the Bennies continue to build onto their great start to the season.
Four different players got in on the scoring action for the visitors, as sophomore Elly Prairie (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park), junior Jessica Decowski (Eden Prairie, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret), senior Avery Soli (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) and first-year Eva Gower (Plymouth, Minn./Orono) all found the back of the net. Soli, Gower, and sophomores Tatum Janezich (Rogers, Minn./Providence Academy) and Allison Cammerrer (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) each tallied an assist.
Logging all 90 minutes in goal, senior Rhianna Anya (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson Sr.) recorded her second straight shutout, making one save in the match. It is the senior's second shutout of the season, the fourth of her career.
Saint Ben's finished with a commanding lead in shots (24-3), shots on goal (12-1) and corner kicks (11-2), while the Auggies notched an 8-1 edge in saves.
Gower looked poised to get the Bennies on the board first seven minutes into the match, but her boot curved wide left at the last second to narrowly miss the net.
Quick passing set up the lone goal of the opening half for CSB. Soli sent a short pass to Cammerrer, who quickly lifted the ball to a crashing Prairie. Perfectly in stride, Prairie roped a shot off her left foot into the back of the net to break the stalemate in the 27th minute of action.
Looking to capitalize on a fastbreak opportunity in the 37th minute, Augsburg's offense was put on hold by first-year Mia Schellenberg (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park), as she interrupted the attack to give the Bennies just enough time to reset their defense. Anya thwarted the scoring chance for the home team with a save to keep Saint Benedict in front.
Prairie looked close to burying her second goal of the game as time was expiring in the first half, but AU's Claire Smothers snagged the shot for a save to send CSB into halftime with a 1-nil lead.
The Bennies pounced on an extra-woman opportunity for the majority of the second half, as a red card in the 50th minute put Augsburg at 10 players for the remainder of the contest.
Schellenberg put one on target from 25 yards out at the 60-minute mark, but the Auggies new goalkeeper, Lauren Korioth, just tipped it out of bounds with a diving effort to keep it a one-score game.
The crossbar came in handy for the Bennies at Augsburg's scoring attempt with 28 minutes remaining bounced off the iron to keep the visitors in front, 1-nil.
Decowski found herself with an opening 35 yards out following a pass from Janezich. The junior ripped a shot into the bottom right corner to make it 2-nil in favor of the Bennies at the 69-minute mark, recording her second goal of the season.
Cammerrer came inches away from making it a three-goal lead, but back-to-back saves by Korioth thwarted both chances.
Saint Benedict's third goal came with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest, as Gower raced down a ball to keep it in play, and after gaining control sent a pass to an awaiting Soli. Soli seized the opportunity, as she buried her shot into the right side off the goal to make it 3-nil.
With three minutes left in the game, Gower made the most of a fastbreak opportunity, as she secured the 4-nil win with a shot into the back left corner of the goal.
Saint Benedict looks to continue its win streak at home, as the Bennies host Hamline University for Senior Night Wednesday, Oct. 14. Action is slated to begin at 4 p.m.
