SAINT JOSEPH, Minn. – The Carleton College women's soccer team saw its season end in heartbreaking fashion, falling 3-2 in the quarterfinal round of the MIAC Playoffs. The Knights erased a two-goal deficit only to see Megan Thompson score the winning goal for host College of Saint Benedict in the 88th minute.
 
"This is a special group of women," said Carleton head coach Jocelyn Keller. "Each season brings a different chemistry and energy. Today's comeback and fight defines this group. Led by our seven seniors, they have withstood some difficult seasons and showed our 2019 team what it means to believe and keep focused.
 
"The ending was far from ideal, but playing in the postseason and believing is what we set out to accomplish, and we did that. We have terrific underclassmen, eager to carry on this tradition and team culture. I'm excited for them and what their future holds."
 
Goalkeeper Anna Roethler (Jr./St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park) had a huge first half for Carleton (9-5-3), making four saves that ensued the match would head into halftime scoreless.
 
After the intermission Roxy Veldman scored a quick brace with goals in the 48th and 55th minute to seemingly put Saint Benedict (11-5-2) on the brink of a semifinal appearance.
 
With their backs against the wall the Knights responded, starting with a goal from senior Emma Wasend (Denver, Col./George Washington) in the 81st minute. Laura Kiernan (Sr./Madison, Wis./Madison West) intercepted an attempted clearance from Saint Ben's and quickly sent a looping cross into the box. The Bennie keeper punched the ball out, but Wasend beat the defenders to ball and calmly one-timed the rebound into the left corner of the net.
 
Carleton built off the momentum from this opening goal and earned a penalty-kick in the 87th minute. Cate Patterson (Fy./Racine, Wis./Prairie School) stole the ball from a Saint Ben's defender and charged towards the goal, forcing a Bennie to take her down in the box and earning the penalty kick.
 
Patterson stepped up to the spot to take the biggest kick of the Knights' season, only to see St. Ben's goalie Kendall Koenen make a diving save to her right to seemingly end the danger. Koenen, however, was not able to secure the ball, and it rolled loose back in front of the net. Patterson sprinted forward, sliding in to knock the tying goal home and stunning the Saint Ben's crowd.
 
With the game seemingly headed to overtime, Cecelia Miller sent a through ball towards goal from the midline in the 88th minute, which Megan Thompson ran onto and promptly finished in the bottom left corner, ending the Knights season and giving the Bennies their first-ever quarterfinal victory.
 
This game brought down the curtain on the collegiate careers for the seven seniors on the roster: Julia Kenney (Sr./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), Kiernan, Mackenzie Korpi (Sr./Rye Brook, N.Y./Blind Brook), Madeline Marker (Sr./Edina, Minn./Edina), Nora Mertz (Sr./Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), Anika Thomas-Toth (Sr./Seattle, Wash./Garfield), and Wasend.
 
"I love this group of seniors and only wished we could continue watching them play," Keller said. "Now onto their lives post Carleton. No doubt they will continue to impress us. We will miss each of them!"