CROOKSTON—Junior midfielder Sarah Benhart picked a perfect time for her first goal of the season, charting the game-winner in the St. Cloud State soccer team's (7-7-4,  6-5-4 NSIC) 2-0 win at Minnesota Crookston (3-13-2, 2-11-2) on Sunday.
 
With the victory, the Huskies punched their ticket to the 2016 NSIC Tournament as the No. 6 seed. After missing the postseason in 2013 and 2014, SCSU has now qualified for the conference tournaments in back-to-back seasons.
 
With a playoff appearance on the line, St. Cloud State came out firing. The Huskies generated four of the game's first five shots, including Benhart's goal in the 14th minute, which put them ahead for good.
 
SCSU out-shot the Golden Eagles, 9-5, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Sophomore forward Maria Kass assisted on Benhart's tally and added a goal of her own in the 86th minute to seal the win—heading home a free kick service from sophomore midfielder Jordan Loya.
 
Kass's tally was her team-leading ninth of the season. She also leads SCSU with 22 points in 18 games.
 
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Julia Clifford turned away all three shots she saw to record her fourth clean sheet of the season.
 
No. 6 St. Cloud State will face No. 3-seeded Bemidji State on the road in the first round of the NSIC Tournament on Wednesday, November 2 at 5 p.m.

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