Women's Soccer 9/29/04 -- Augsburg 3, St. Thomas 1 

BOXSCORE 

MINNEAPOLIS (9/29/04) -- Mitra Rahimi (Fr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) had a goal and an assist, and Liz Osterman (Fr., Lincoln, Neb./Southeast HS) claimed eight saves in goal, leading Augsburg College to its first-ever women's soccer victory over the University of St. Thomas, a 3-1 decision in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at Augsburg's Edor Nelson Field on Wednesday evening.

Rahimi's goal, an unassisted steal and shot over the St. Thomas goalkeeper in the 55th minute, proved to be the eventual game-winner, as the teams traded goals in the final three minutes.

Augsburg claimed its first victory over St. Thomas in its 19-season history of varsity women's soccer, breaking a 19-game losing streak to the Tommies in the process. The only Augsburg women's soccer victory over a St. Thomas team was in the Auggies first year as a club program, 1985, when the Auggies beat a UST club team 1-0. The Auggies became an MIAC varsity program in 1986.

Augsburg (4-4-0 overall, 3-0-1 MIAC) won despite being outshot by the Tommies by a 30-14 margin, though Augsburg had a 10-9 advantage in shots on goal. St. Thomas (4-5-0 overall, 2-2-0 MIAC) also held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks in the game.

Augsburg scored its first goal in the 29th minute, as Emily Anderson (So., Hudson, Wis.) collected a free kick from Nora Austin * (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) from 30 yards out and deposited it across the goal crease and past St. Thomas starting goalkeeper Baylee Reagan (Fr., Elkhorn, Neb.). Anderson leads the Auggies with five goals and 13 points.

Reagan played the first half and claimed two saves for the Tommies. Her replacement, Kaisa Erickson (Fr., Eugene, Ore./Sheldon HS), played the second half and made five saves.

Rahimi's goal early in the second half gave the Auggies an important two-goal advantage, a key as the Auggies played a more defensive style after that point. St. Thomas outshot Augsburg by a 22-9 margin in the second half.

St. Thomas had several opportunities to score, but Augsburg goalkeeper Osterman made six saves in the second half and benefitted from two consecutive Tommie shots that hit the goalpost with eight minutes remaining.

But the Tommies were able to trim the margin to one with 2:54 left to play, as Christine Williams (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.) scored on a rebound from a Anna Schlick (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.) shot from 20 yards out.

But Augsburg clinched the victory with 17 seconds left to play, as Rahimi drove the ball deep in the St. Thomas penalty box, worked it around a defender and found a sprinting Becky Lewis (So., Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall HS) in front, who deposited the ball in the net for the game-clincher.

Anderson and Millie Suk * (Jr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) had four shots each for Augsburg, while Mary Dienhart (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) had seven shots for the Tommies and Jade Crepps (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) added five.

Both teams return to MIAC play on Saturday (10/2) at 1 p.m., as Augsburg plays at St. Catherine and St. Thomas hosts Hamline.