BOXSCORE BOXSCORE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. -- Rachel Nelson (JR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) scored the lone goal of the game in the 74th minute, enabling the Augsburg College women's soccer team to remain unbeaten with a 1-0 victory over host Bethel University in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest on Tuesday afternoon.

With the win, Augsburg improves to 5-0-0 on the season, as one of only two MIAC teams to be both unbeaten and unscored upon at this point of the season. Augsburg has outscored its opponents by a 16-0 margin after five games -- the most goals scored of any MIAC team in overall statistics.

"A great start to the conference season!" said Augsburg head coach Mike Navarre. "We knew this would be a close game. The heat and the wind, combined with Bethel's back line and overall skill, provided us with a difficult test today. Overall, we did well to manage the game and the players we put in the second half gave us the lift we needed."

Nelson, who had re-entered the game in the 68th minute, scored her fourth goal of the season on an assist by Olivia Muyres (SO, Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS). Nelson has scored at least one goal in each of her last three games. Navarre also credited Devon Ellena (SR, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) for helping to set up the goal.

"Devon Ellena was great for us in the second half," Navarre said. "Devon came off the bench and slipped a great ball to get Olivia Muyres in space. With the Bethel defense shifting to defend Olivia, Olivia played a beautiful ball to a sprinting Rachel Nelson who also had recently come off the bench. Rachel made sure she put it away."

Augsburg outshot Bethel by an 11-10 margin. Goalkeeper Katie Gajewski (JR, Wausau, Wis./Wausau East HS) claimed five saves for the Auggies to pick up her third shutout of the season and 12th of her collegiate career. Callie Roseland had two saves in goal for Bethel.

Augsburg returns to action on Friday (9/14) at 5 p.m., hosting Loras (Iowa) as part of a doubleheader at Edor Nelson Field. The men's teams will face each other at 7:30 p.m.

"I'm proud of the way we persevered. We will have to continue to rise to the challenge as we enter a tough stretch of our schedule, starting with a Loras a program that has consistently been among the top teams in the country," Navarre said. "We've had great games with Loras in the past. I expect another one on Friday."