ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Macalester College women's soccer team battled the College of Saint Benedict through 110 minutes and into a penalty kick shootout, where the Bennies prevailed in a MIAC Playoffs quarterfinal match Tuesday afternoon at CSB Stadium in St. Joseph. The Scots' season ends with an 8-9-1 record, while Saint Benedict (12-1-4) advances to Thursday's semifinals at Carleton.
Macalester broke through first, when junior defender
Ava Arredondo (St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park) hit a long free kick from the left side that bounced into the right side of the goal in the 19th minute. Veronica Warren tied the score in the 29th minute, when she chipped the ball into the top of the goal. The game remained tied through the end of regulation, mainly due to several outstanding saves by both goalkeepers. Senior goalkeeper
Abigail Heuga (San Francisco, Calif./Urban School of San Francisco) registered two saves in the final 10 minutes of regulation. The Bennies' Rhianna Anya stopped sophomore forward
Lindsay Edmonson (North Kingstown, R.I./LaSalle Academy) in the 86th minute, then a shot by sophomore forward
Mikayla Edmunds (Falls Church, Va./Georgetown Visitation) was saved off the line in the 87th minute.
Neither team scored through two overtime periods, sending the game to penalty kicks. Heuga stopped the first and fourth attempts by Saint Benedict, while Samantha Hartnett, who replaced Anya, made saves on the Scots' second and fourth attempts. The shutout was tied at 4-4 through six rounds before Hartnett made a save on the Scots' seventh attempt. Jessica Decowski converted her attempt to give the Bennies the shootout win.
Macalester held a narrow 21-20 edge in shots taken and put 12 shots on goal compared to nine for Saint Benedict. Heuga finished with eight saves, while Anya had 10 saves.
The match was the final game as a Scot for 12 seniors: Heuga,
Rama Bah (Paris, France/United World College Maastricht),
Abbey Birkey (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids),
Gabriela Carrillo-Quinones (St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park),
Avery Ellis (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech),
Julia Hanson (Weston, Mass./Weston),
Georgia LeWin-Mills (St. Paul, Minn./Breck School),
Annelise McGee (Stonington, Conn./Stonington),
Timna Nevo (Portland, Ore./Sunset),
Adi Nhouyvanisvong (Wayzata, Minn./Minnetonka),
Karyna Steele (Miami, Fla./Ransom Everglades), and
Miya Whiteley (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto).
2026 Women's Soccer MIAC Playoffs
Tuesday, Nov. 3
No. 3 St. Olaf 2, No. 6 Bethel 0
No. 4 Saint Benedict 1,
No. 5 Macalester 1 (Saint Benedict advances on PKs, 5-4)
Thursday, Nov. 5
No. 4 Saint Benedict at No. 1 Carleton, 2:00 p.m.
No. 3 St. Olaf at No. 2 St. Catherine, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7
Semifinal winners, at highest remaining seed, 1:00 p.m.
