NORTHFIELD, Minn. – With the MIAC regular-season title on the line, the clock winding down, and the Knights trailing 2-1 on the scoreboard, the Carleton College women's soccer team needed a bit of magic.
 
They got it from junior Casey MacVeagh (Jr./Thetford, Vt./Thetford Academy).
 
Needing either a win or a tie against second-place College of Saint Benedict (12-5-1, 8-2-1 MIAC) in the regular-season finale for both sides, the Knights (13-1-2, 8-0-3 MIAC) appeared to be headed for heartbreak before MacVeagh mustered up some Bell Field magic. She collected an attempted clearance by the Bennies, took a touch around a defender, and uncorked a laser from 24 yards out into the upper right corner of the goal. Suddenly the game was tied 2-2 with only eight seconds still on the clock.
 
With the draw, Carleton closed the regular season with 27 points in the standings, while Saint Benedict (25 points) remained in second place. This is the fourth MIAC crown in Carleton Women's Soccer history (also 1982, 2010, and 2011). This marks the 16th time in recorded conference that the regular-season champ went undefeated in MIAC play (see chart below).
 
"What a special day to cap off a special regular season," said Carleton head coach Jessica Mueller. "This team competes. They compete every day in training, and they compete in every minute of every game they play. I couldn't be happier for such a committed, hard working group of women. I love this team!"
 
The first half saw end-to-end action but was quiet on the scoresheet. The Knights and Bennies remained tied 0-0 after 45 minutes with only one shot on goal between the sides.
 
Saint Benedict was within inches of a roaring start, as a first minute shot from winger Erica Golenzer rang the left post, and a follow-up effort was scooped over an open goal.
 
Loren Arzayus (So./Houston, Texas/Lutheran South Academy) provided the best Carleton chance, as she followed up a beautifully worked move with a shot that appeared earmarked for the bottom left corner, forcing a splendid save from St. Ben's goalkeeper Annie Waters.
 
The Bennies opened the scoring in the 54th minute, with Cecelia Miller getting on the end of Abby Willenbring's cross to finish with the outside of her boot.
 
Less than three minutes later, the Knights netted the equalizer. MacVeagh sent a corner kick to the back post, where Ashlyn Haigh (Fy./Kalamazoo, Mich./Portage Central) headed the ball back across the face of goal to a wide-open Hadley Twichell (Fy./Redwood City, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep), who brought the ball down and finished calmly for her seventh goal of the season.
 
The game kicked up a notch from there, with the Knights and Bennies trading shots and flying around the field.
 
In the 66th minute, Addison Stephani pounced on a bouncing ball about 25 yards out, and volleyed on the half-turn over a leaping Keya Mookencherry (So./Winnetka, Ill./New Trier), who got a hand on the ball but could not quite tip it over the crossbar.
 
Down a goal once again, the Knights began to press for the all-important goal to earn themselves a draw. They fired shots on, but nothing found the back of the net. MacVeagh was high with a good look in the 88th minute, but she got another crack at playing the role of hero and delivered her 10th goal of the season. That ties her for fifth in program history for goals in a season (see chart below).
 
Saturday was also Senior Day at Bell Field as the Knights honored Chloe Jones (Sr./Omaha, Neb./Omaha Central), Cate Patterson (Sr./Racine, Wis./Prairie School), Reenie Sullivan (Sr./St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Central), Rainey Tilley (Sr./South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena), and Ella Woodruff (Sr./Charlotte, Vt./CVU), who all made appearances in their final regular-season home game. However, this will not be their last game at Bell Field as the regular season crown brings with it homefield advantage throughout the MIAC Playoffs.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton begins the postseason by hosting a MIAC semifinal game on Wednesday, Nov, 2 at 2:00 p.m. The Knights will take on the winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal match between No. 4 seed St. Olaf College and No. 5 seed Saint Mary's University. The MIAC admission policy is as follows: $10 for General Admission, $2 for Students with ID, and Free for Children 5 and under.
 
MIAC Champions to go undefeated in conference
1988 – Saint Mary's (8-0-0)
1993 – Gustavus (10-0-0)
1994 – Gustavus (10-0-0)
1997 – Macalester (10-0-0)
1998 – Macalester (9-0-0)
1999 – Macalester (10-0-0)
2000 – Macalester (9-0-1)
2002 – St. Thomas (9-0-2) and Saint Benedict (9-0-2)
2003 – Saint Bendict (9-0-2)
2004 – Macalester (10-0-1)
2005 – Macalester (10-0-1)
2008 – St. Thomas (9-0-2)
2009 – Concordia (10-0-1)
2016 – St. Thomas (10-0-1)
2022 – Carleton (8-0-3)
 
Most Carleton goals in the season
1.   14 – Birungi Mutebi – 1998
2.   13 – Birungi Mutebi – 2001
2.   13 – Marlena Hartman-Filson – 2010
4.   12 – Niki Tomita – 2009
5.   10 – Sharon Goodwin – 1998
5.   10 – Nicky Bloom – 2008
5.   10 – Ava Lewis – 2014
5.   10 – Nora Mertz – 2017
5.   10 – Casey MacVeagh – 2022