Kevin Sethre, Staff Writer 

The Augsburg women’s soccer team lost 4-1 to the University of Chicago on Sunday in the second round of the Division III National Playoffs. 

While the end was rough, the Auggies had a fantastic season as they finished 15-4-2. They won the MIAC regular season championship with a 9-1-1 record in conference play, and reached the MIAC playoff championship where they drew 1-1 against St. Thomas before losing 6-5 on penalty kicks.

Augsburg opened the national playoffs against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday. Despite combining for 21 shots, neither team was able to score in the first 90 minutes. 4:44 into overtime, Meghan Howard won it for the Auggies with her fourth goal of the season. She was assisted by Ashley St. Aubin and Gabriela Encarnacion. Goalkeeper Emily Chapman, who won MIAC Defensive Player of the Year, recorded nine saves and kept a clean sheet, which was her eighth of the season.

On Sunday, Chicago jumped ahead early with goals in the 20th and 23rd minutes. They added another just before the hour mark to take a three-goal lead. St. Aubin gave the Auggies hope with her 71st career goal in the 80th minute, but the Maroons answered less than two minutes later to put the game out of reach.

Sunday’s game was the last one for Chapman, Encarnacion, St. Aubin, Olivia House and Jada Olson. Chapman finished her Augsburg career with an .850 save percentage and was the starting goalkeeper in each of her last three seasons. St. Aubin set the MIAC record for career goals with 71, and tied the all-time points record with 173.  Encarnacion finished second on the team in points during her junior and senior seasons and House made the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team this season. Olson was a four-year starter on one of the conference’s top defenses. Replacing this group of seniors will be a tall task, but one that head coach Mike Navarre has proven to be up to in his tenure at Augsburg.