MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Third-seeded Augsburg University scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half to defeat the sixth-seeded St. Olaf College women's soccer team, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Playoffs on Tuesday afternoon at Edor Nelson Field.
Ashley St. Aubin had a hand in both goals, setting up the first and scoring the second for Augsburg (13-6-0), which defeated St. Olaf (10-6-2) by a 2-0 margin for the second time in four days. St. Aubin set up Jess Wiskofske's opening goal in the 48th minute and scored one of her own less than six minutes later to send the Auggies to the semifinals.
Augsburg will travel to second-seeded Bethel in the MIAC Playoff semifinals on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. The other semifinal sees No. 4 seed St. Catherine travel to No. 1 seed St. Thomas after the Wildcats edged No. 5 seed Saint Benedict, 1-0, in the other quarterfinal on Tuesday.
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, Augsburg broke the deadlock just 2:04 into the second half when St. Aubin crossed the ball from the right wing and Jessy Wiskofske poked the ball in in front for her sixth goal of the season.
Just under six minutes later, St. Aubin tallied her 19th of the season, beating a couple St. Olaf defenders up the left wing before sliding the ball inside the near post. St. Aubin nearly grabbed her second of the game eight minutes later, but her shot from the left side of the box hit the outside of the left post.
The Auggies nearly found a third goal in the 86th minute when Ana Ortiz's shot from distance hit the cross bar and
Kaylyn Billmeyer blocked Ortiz's follow-up effort out for a corner.
The Oles and Auggies combined for 18 shots in the first half, but
Brynne Davis made six saves and Emily Chapman had three to keep the game scoreless. Junior
Claire Bash had St. Olaf's best chance of the half, sending a header just over off a corner kick in the 21st minute.
Davis finished with a career-high 10 saves for the Oles, while Chapman had eight in the shutout for Augsburg. Shots for the game ended 23-14 in favor of the Auggies.
