PELLA, Iowa – Powered by a brace from first-year Eva Gower (Plymouth, Minn./Orono), the College of Saint Benedict soccer team secured a 3-nil shutout at Central College Sunday, Sept. 6. With the win, the Bennies improve to 3-0 on the season, marking the best start since 2017.
Sophomore Veronica Warren (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) also scored a goal in the contest, and added an assist to her stat line, both the first of her career.
Sophomores Anna Mollenhauer (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna) and Claire McGrath (Stillwater, Minn./Hill-Murray) paired up to secure the shutout. Playing the first 45 minutes, Mollenhauer secured her first career win in goal, totaling seven saves in the process. McGrath finished the game in between the posts, notching a pair of saves to secure the shutout.
A gritty game saw Central (2-1) hold the advantage in shots (14-11) and shots on goal (9-6). The Dutch also finished with a 3-1 lead in corner kicks, but CSB tallied the edge in saves, 9-3.
Central found itself with the first opportunity to score but Mollenhauer stumped a one-on-one opportunity in the 11th minute of play.
Warren booted one to the top right corner of the goal in the 16th minute to put the visitors up 1-nil. The sophomore floated a shot past the Dutch goalkeeper to register the first goal of her career.
Mollenhauer came up with a clutch save in the 29th minute, keeping momentum in favor of the Bennies.
Nearing the end of the first half, Central fired a shot a bit too high, as it ricocheted off the crossbar and back into possession of Saint Ben's. The Bennies were able to keep control the rest of the half, taking a 1-nil advantage into the break.
Gower wasted no time in the second half, as she ripped off a shot for her first collegiate goal. The score put Saint Benedict up 2-nil in the 47th minute.
Central was awarded a penalty kick but could not capitalize, awarding a break for the Bennies. McGrath followed shortly after with a key save, as she pushed the ball above the iron to keep the home team scoreless.
Warren ripped off a shot that Central's keeper could not corral, placing the ball in the the boot of Gower. The first-year quickly found the back of the net for the second time in the game, securing her first collegiate brace in the process. Gower's goal gave CSB a 3-nil lead in the 63rd minute.
McGrath locked in the shutout with one last save in the 84th minute, as the Bennies would coast in the final minutes of the contest.
Saint Ben's will remain on the road, as the Bennies next play at University of Wisconsin-Stout Saturday, Sept. 12. Action is set for 5 p.m.
