Photo Gallery: Benilde-St. Margaret's girls vs. Mahtomedi girls
"The first goal was really a team effort: everyone was pressuring, and I was the last one to pressure. All of our pressure caused a turnover -- and an open net," Heinsch said. "On the second goal, I just kept dribbling. And when I got by the defender, I thought, 'OK, I'm going to shoot it.'"
Meanwhile, the Red Knights scored twice on free kicks, with sophomore Ava Wagener knocking home a rebound when sophomore Sydney Drees' free kick caromed off the crossbar in the first half. Drees then found the net on a free kick with 10:54 left in the second half.
"On the first goal, I was just trying to get the ball on goal as best as I could," Drees said. "I wanted it to go in, or at least get a good rebound so one of my teammates could kick it in. On the second goal I had a wide-open corner, so I just took a rip and hoped it went in."
The No. 6-1A Red Knights featured just two seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup, which included six sophomores and eighth-grade goalkeeper Olivia Olson.
"This is a great experience for our sophomores," Benilde-St. Margaret's coach Scott Helling-Christy said. "We use this as a measuring stick to see where we're at right now."
So how did Helling-Christy feel his team measured up?
"Defensively we made a couple of mistakes, but otherwise I thought the game was pretty even," he said. "I was happy that we battled. We got up a goal, but we gave up a goal, then we gave up a lead — but we kept battling. That's what you like to see."
Meanwhile Mahtomedi went 10 days without a game to start the month of September because conference shuffling caused several nonconference opponents to drop contests against the Zephyrs.
"Usually we load up our schedule early, but this year we had only played six games in four weeks," Mahtomedi coach Dave Wald said. "I think we're a week behind where we need to be right now."
While the Zephyrs have a veteran roster that included eight senior starters, Wald said those experienced players are starting to remember the work involved in claiming a state title.
"The seniors were huge contributors to state championship teams, and I think they think it's just going to happen again," he said. "We're leaving a lot on the table. But our schedule hasn't done us any favors."
As a result, but sides saw the potential for a "win" coming out of this tie.
"It's definitely beneficial to play good teams like this, because the challenge helps us grow as a team," Heinsch said. "This type of game will help us build as the season goes along."
Benilde-St. Margaret's Drees agreed, adding, "I think we played well, but this is a great way to get us going. Now we can see what we have the potential to do."