NORTHFIELD, Minn. – With a 2-1 victory over College of Saint Benedict, the Carleton College women's soccer team won its third consecutive MIAC regular season championship.
 
The Knights are now 14-1-5 overall and 8-0-3 in MIAC play to finish the regular season tied atop the conference table with St. Catherine, earning them the title of co-champions and making Carleton back-to-back-to-back MIAC champs. This is only the fourth time that a Carleton team sport has won three straight MIAC regular-season titles (see chart below) and the first to do so since 2007-09.
 
In order to determine the top two seeds for the upcoming conference tournament, the MIAC had to go down to the sixth tiebreaker—goal differential (maximum of plus-three per game) in conference play—to separate St. Catherine (+21) from Carleton (+17).
 
"I could not be more proud of this team," said Carleton head coach Jessica Mueller. "Every single person on this roster helped us today… in games and most importantly, in training all season long. I am absolutely in awe of these young women.
 
"The senior class in this program has re-established a standard of excellence for Carleton Women's Soccer that is only ascending. I cannot wait for what's to com."
 
The Knights' 14 wins this season is tied for the fourth-highest total program history (see chart below). Carleton is undefeated over its last 32 regular-season contests versus MIAC opponents (25-0-8).
 
Carleton fired 21 shots in Saturday's contest, with seven being on goal. The visiting Bennies (5-8-4, 2-7-2 MIAC) took five shots, with two on goal. The Knights attempted five corner kicks without surrendering one to Saint Benedict.
 
The hosts had a couple early chances blocked by a resilient Bennie backline or saved by keeper Annie Waters. In the 22nd minute, the Knights won a corner kick, and Claire Burbery placed her inswinger onto the back post where centerback Thea Traw timed her run and thumped her volley into the net. It was Burbery's team-high fifth assist of the season and Traw's second score of the campaign.
 
It only took 55 seconds for the visitors to respond, as Avery Soli won the ball in Carleton's half, passed to the Bennies' leading goalscorer Alli Voss, who turned off the shoulder of her defender and ripped her shot home from the top edge of the 18-yard box.
 
Carleton got the decisive goal just six more minutes later. Kathryn Kresse pressed high up the pitch and pinched the ball off a Bennie defender. Carleton's leading scorer ran into the box alone and put just enough on her shot to beat the goalkeeper. Kresse now has 10 goals on the season and 25 in her Carleton career, tied for fourth-most in team history (see charts below).
 
Carleton put four more shots on goal throughout the second half but could not score again. However, the Knights defense held firm and clinched a MIAC title.
 
Ashlyn Haigh played all 90 minutes, registered four shots, and controlled the midfield for the Knights. Traw also stayed on the field all game.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton begins their postseason run in the MIAC Semifinal on Thursday, Nov. 7. The No. 2 seeded Knights will play the highest remaining seed after the opening round at Bell Field, with kickoff tentatively set for 2:00 p.m.
 
Most Wins in Carleton Women's Soccer History
18-6-0 (.750) — in 2008
16-3-2 (.810) — in 2023
15-3-2 (.800) — in 2010
14-3-0 (.824) — in 1982
14-1-5 (.825) — in 2024
13-5-0 (.722) — in 2007
13-2-3 (.806) — in 2022
 
Most Career Goals in Carleton Women's Soccer History
1.         40 – Birungi Mutebi – 1998-01
2.         30 – Niki Tomita – 2008-11
3.         26 – Nora Mertz – 2016-19
4.         25 – Rose Koch – 1996-99
4.         25 – Kathryn Kresse – 2022-PRESENT
6.         23 – M. Russell-Dempsey – 1998-01
6.         23 – Cate Patterson – 2019-2023
 
Most Career Points in Carleton Women's Soccer History
1.         89 – Birungi Mutebi (40g, 9a) – 1998-01    
2.         69 – Niki Tomita (30g, 9a) – 2008-11
3.         67 – Cate Patterson (23g, 21a) – 2019-2023
4.         65 – Kathryn Kresse (25g, 15a) – 2022-present
5.         58 – M. Russell-Dempsey (23g, 12a) – 1998-01
5.         58 – Rose Koch (25g, 8a) – 1996-99
 
Carleton "Team" sports to win (at least a share of) 3 consecutive regular-season MIAC titles
Men's Basketball — 1920-21, 1921-22, 1922-23
Women's Basketball — 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05
Men's Soccer — 2007, 2008, 2009
Women's Soccer — 2022, 2023, 2024
 
"Individual" sports with three straight MIAC Championships (sports with no regular season):
Women's Cross Country — 2013, 2014, 2015
Women's Cross Country — 2017, 2018, 2019
Men's Cross Country — 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 (no race in 2020 due to CoVID-19 pandemic)