MINNEAPOLIS -- Scoring twice in the first 3:59 of play, the Augsburg College women's soccer team scored its eighth straight victory and seventh shutout of the season, a 3-0 triumph over the College of Saint Benedict in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest on Wednesday evening at Edor Nelson Field.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 3, Saint Benedict 0
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 8-1-0 overall (3-0-0 MIAC), Saint Benedict 6-2-2 overall (2-1-1 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Ashley St. Aubin (FY, Burnsville, Minn.) claimed her third multi-goal game of her first collegiate campaign, scoring goals in the fourth and 38th minutes for the Auggies.
• Ciara Gregory (FY, Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) opened the scoring for Augsburg, putting home a rebound off her own shot at the 2:09 mark. Marta Anderson (SR, Mankato, Minn./Mankato East HS) assisted on the goal.
• Just 110 seconds later, St. Aubin scored her first goal of the game, finishing a feed from Brigette Jira (SO, Fort Atkinson, Wis.) and Gregory.
• St. Aubin scored her ninth goal of the season at the 37:38 mark, getting behind a defender to collect a pass from Kealie Espinda Banick (SO, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) and sprinting for the score.
• Augsburg, ranked No. 25 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III national poll and No. 3 in the North Region poll, controlled the pace of play throughout. The Auggies outshot the Blazers by a 12-7 margin in the first half, en route to a 20-13 advantage in the game. Augsburg used all 23 of its available players in the game.
• Augsburg's two goalkeepers combined for the team's seventh shutout victory of the season, as Marissa Guillou (JR, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) had two saves in the first half and Emily Chapman (FY, Elburn, Ill./Kaneland HS) had one save in the second half. Augsburg's defensive backfield of Emily Gregg (SR, River Falls, Wis.), Trine Boeystad (FY, Rykkinn, Norway/Nadderud VGS), Ashley Waalen (SR, Amery, Wis.) and Hannah Whitington (SR, Eagle Lake, Minn./Mankato East HS) also held firm, as Saint Benedict had just three shots on-goal in the contest.
• St. Aubin had four shots in the game, while Anderson and Gregory had three shots each.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg has now outscored its opponents by a 30-2 margin, with just one goal allowed in its eight victories. The Auggies lead the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference overall statistics in both total goals and goal differential. Augsburg's seven shutouts are also a league high, as is the Auggies' 0.22 team goals-against-average. Augsburg's two goals allowed are also tied for the fewest among league teams.
• Over the current Auggie senior class' four seasons (69 games, 49-15-5 record), Augsburg has outscored its opponents by a 189-51 margin.
• St. Aubin leads the MIAC's overall statistics with nine goals and 22 points, while Anderson is tied for the MIAC's lead in assists with six.

FOR THE FOES
• Taylor Hedin had four shots for Saint Benedict, while Nicole Newman had two shots.
• Heather Kaluzniak had five saves in goal for the Blazers -- just the second time she has allowed three goals in a game in her collegiate career, the other also coming in a 3-0 loss at Augsburg on Oct. 18, 2014.

QUOTE FROM AUGSBURG HEAD COACH MIKE NAVARRE
• "A tremendous start for us tonight. The players came out fast and hungry to compete. Now we turn our attention to a very strong Bethel team that is currently undefeated in the MIAC."

UP NEXT
• Augsburg travels to face Bethel on Saturday (10/1) at 1 p.m. Both teams are 3-0-0 in MIAC play.
• Saint Benedict hosts St. Catherine on Saturday at 1 p.m.