MINNEAPOLIS -- Rallying from a halftime deficit with two second-half goals, Augsburg University maintained its hold on first place in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's soccer race with a 2-1 victory over Carleton College on Friday evening at Edor Nelson Field.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 2, Carleton 1
LOCATION: Edor Nelson Field, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 11-3-1 overall (7-1-1 MIAC), Carleton 8-3-3 overall (5-2-2 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Trailing 1-0 on a Carleton goal late in the first half, Augsburg stormed back into the game in the second half, outshooting Carleton by a 13-7 margin and playing more aggressively forward. The strategy paid off six minutes into the second frame. Ashley St. Aubin (SR, Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) sprinted up the left sideline and fired a shot from a hard angle. The rebound came through to Megan Howard (FY, Lakeland, Minn./Stillwater HS), who put the loose ball into the right corner of the open net for her second collegiate goal.
• In the 67th minute, the Auggies took the lead. A centering attempt by Ana Ortiz (SO, Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus Catholic HS) was headed back by a Carleton defender, but Gabriela Encarnacion (SR, Bel Air, Md./Bel Air HS) intercepted the header, then headed it herself past another defender and flicked the ball over a charging Carleton goalkeeper to the net for her sixth goal of the season.
• Augsburg goalkeeper Emily Chapman (SR, Elburn, Ill./Kaneland HS) had six saves, including four in the second half. She had a diving save on a shot from distance in the 72nd minute, then had two more saves in the closing minutes to preserve the victory.
• St. Aubin had eight shots, including four on-goal, while Encarnacion and Howard had three shots each. Augsburg outshot Carleton by an 18-13 margin in the game.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• With the victory, Augsburg maintains its hold on first place in the MIAC standings. The Auggies, who entered Friday's play tied with St. Thomas for first place, now have 22 league points. The remaining five games of this round of league play will be played on Saturday (9/26), with St. Thomas playing at Macalester.
• Augsburg can clinch a spot in the six-team MIAC postseason playoffs for the sixth season in a row and 11th time in school history on Saturday, should St. Olaf either lose or tie in its home game against Bethel.

FOR THE FOES
• Bella Bettner gave the Knights the lead with a goal from Emma Wasend in the 43rd minute.
• Anna Roethler had seven saves in goal for Carleton.

QUOTE FROM AUGSBURG COACH MIKE NAVARRE
• "Carleton pushed us tonight. They are a strong team and deserve to be ranked in the region. I was proud of our will and resolve."

UP NEXT
• Augsburg travels to face Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday (10/30) at 3:30 p.m.
• Carleton hosts St. Olaf on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.