ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University women's soccer team punched their ticket into the 2016 MIAC Playoffs with a 1-0 victory over Hamline University Wednesday afternoon. Bethel used a single goal scored late in the first half and great goaltending to hang onto the program record seventh MIAC victory of the season. The win assures that the Royals will find themselves in the MIAC Playoffs for the second time in program history and the second time in the last three seasons.

The game was a defensive battle through much of the first half with both teams getting just four shots with just one save made by each goalie. In the 41st minute Bethel's Sydney Wight sent a shot across the box that was redirected by Alicia Halikas and then deflected off the side of a Hamline defender and past the Pipers goalie for the score. The game would stay at 1-0 despite a flurry of shots by the Royals late in the second half, all of which were stopped, some spectacularly by Hamline's goalie Amy Ramras. In all Ramras made five second half saves, four within the last 12 minutes of the game as the Royals offense applied constant pressure.

Despite the Royals onslaught however, the Pipers were able to make one last run and drew a yellow card on Bethel in the Royals territory with 10 seconds left. Off the free kick the Pipers were able to get a header shot on goal but Bethel goalie Dylan Melby leaped and deflected the shot up into the crossbar and the ball came down just in front of Melby, just a few feet from being inside the goal, as time expired and the Royals rushed the field to celebrate.

Bethel remains tied for third place in the MIAC standings with a record of 7-3 and an overall record of 12-4-1. The regular season will commence on Saturday night for Bethel with a 7 p.m. contest at Macalester.