NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The regionally-ranked St. Olaf College women's soccer team achieved its best-ever 12-game start to a season with a 3-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) victory over Hamline University on Saturday afternoon at Rolf Mellby Field.

Junior Katie Beaudry got St. Olaf (9-1-2, 4-1-1 MIAC) off to a quick start by scoring just over two minutes in before senior Sadie Klassen and junior Chloe Valleau added second-half goals in the win over Hamline (4-6-4, 1-3-2 MIAC). The victory was the Oles' ninth shutout of the season, as eight of the team's nine wins have come in shutout fashion. St. Olaf was also 8-1-2 through 11 games in 2011 before tying its 12th contest.

St. Olaf, which was ranked No. 7 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Region IX poll, got out to an early lead when Beaudry scored on a glancing header off a corner by junior Cat Duffy-Shaw in the third minute for Beaudry's second goal of the season. The score remained 1-0 at halftime despite the Oles outshooting the Pipers by a 7-0 margin in the opening 45 minutes.

Early in the second half, St. Olaf earned a penalty kick when a Hamline defender took down Klassen in the box. Klassen converted from the spot for the second time this season to give the Oles a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. The goal was the team-high ninth of the season for Klassen, who has scored in seven of the 10 games she has played in this fall.

Valleau capped the scoring in the 66th minute with her fourth goal in the last four games, as the junior curled the ball into a vacant net after sophomore Emily Johnson robbed the ball off the foot of the Hamline goalkeeper. The Pipers managed just one shot in the game, which was an effort by Maya Dempsey in the 76th minute that hit the left post.

First year Ava Williams did not have a save to make in collecting her second shutout in as many collegiate starts. Isabella Jensen had eight saves in the loss for the Pipers, as St. Olaf dominated the shot count by a 15-1 margin overall and an 11-0 margin in shots on goal.

The Oles will venture to Winona to face Saint Mary's University on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m.