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No repeat of 2010 for Red Knights

By Aaron Paitich, Special to Star Tribune, 10/28/11, 7:55PM CDT

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Maria Michels scored twice to lead Benilde-St. Margaret over South St. Paul.

Michels scores two goals in victory

The Benilde-St. Margaret’s girls’ soccer team found itself in a familiar position Friday night. This time around, though, they took care of business.

Led by Maria Michels’ two goals, the Red Knights defeated South St. Paul 3-1 in a Class 1A quarterfinal Friday night at Roseville High School.

“We didn’t really talk about what happened last year,” coach Scott Helling-Christy laughed after Benilde-St. Margaret’s earned a spot in Monday’s state semifinals at the Metrodome.

Last year, the Red Knights entered the 1A state tournament undefeated with the No. 1 seed — and abruptly left after a 1-0 upset by Chisago Lakes, whom they outplayed almost all game.

Another undefeated regular season and another No. 1 ranking brought the Red Knights to their second consecutive state appearance. The 2010 loss was in the back of their minds, but they didn’t care to relive it.

Junior defender Anne Arnason got the Red Knights (17-0-3) on the board first. A corner kick created a scrum in front of the Packers goal, and after a failed clearing attempt, Arnason sailed one into the net in the 22nd minute.

The two teams exchanged momentum in the first half. Benilde-St. Margaret’s goalkeeper Mikayla Coulombe thwarted the best scoring chance for the Packers (10-10), punching away Tori Poole’s point-blank header off a corner kick.

“It could have easily tied the game. That was a fantastic save,” Helling-Christy said.

Instead, with one minute left and a one-goal lead, Michels connected with a Peggy Renier corner, footing it in midair past the Packers goalkeeper.

Michels added her second score of the night in the 51st minute. Haley Jerabek launched her patented somersault throw-in all the way to the front of the goal, where Michels tapped it in for a 3-0 lead and her 16th goal of the season.

“That’s really a weapon — and she had it going today,” Helling-Christy said of Jerabek’s acrobatics. “She had that ball just flying.”

Asia Owen scored in the 80th minute for the Packers.