Box Score For the second-straight game, the St. Catherine University soccer team faced the top team in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in the College of Saint Benedict. And again, the Wildcats hopedto spoil the Blazers' chances at a conference title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. 

Unfortunately, though, the Wildcats couldn't overcome the high-powered Blazer offense – despite a second-half goal from senior Lensa Gurmessa (Minneapolis, Minn.) – in falling 3-1 in their final home contest of the 2013 season on a cold, misty afternoon Wednesday in St. Paul. 

Gurmessa netted her seventh goal of the season at the 65-minute mark to give the Wildcats a fighting chance, but the Blazers were able to hold off the Wildcats' late game surge in scoring their eighth MIAC victory of the season. With her goal, Gurmessa moves to 18 points on the season to lead the Wildcats and is tied for 11th among all MIAC players in that same category with just one game remaining in the regular season. 

The Blazers got the ball rolling early as Laura Kosch took a pass from teammate Peggy Reimer and floated it past Danielle Mendez (Bloomington, Minn.) to give her team a 1-0 lead just over four minutes into the game. The Wildcats would hold off the Blazers for the remainder of the first half and went into the break down just a goal. 

At the 54-minute mark, 2011 MIAC Player-of-the-Year Colleen Bouchard gave her team a 2-0 lead on an assist from Kosch. The Blazers would then push their lead to three when Bouchard set up Aly Hoffman to beat Mendez in close less than seven minutes later. Mendez finished the game with five saves, while Gurmessa recorded all of the Wildcats three shots on goal. 

Despite scoring five minutes later and recording five shots in the second half, the Wildcats couldn't overcome the Blazers three goals and being outshot 16-7 as they fall to 2-8 in the MIAC and 7-10 overall. 

The Wildcats will conclude the 2013 season Saturday as they take on a Bethel University squad that is 2-7-1 in the MIAC and comes off a Wednesday loss to Gustavus Adolphus College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Arden Hills, Minn. 

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