MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team (1-13-0, 1-10-0 NSIC) will wrap up the 2009 season on the road this weekend when the Mustangs face Minnesota, Crookston (2-13-2 , 0-10-1 NSIC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Minnesota State Moorhead (6-9-1, 3-8-0 NSIC) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Series records: Saturday's contest with Minnesota, Crookston marks the 14th time the Mustangs and Golden Eagles have met. SMSU has fared well against UMC, having won all but one of the games between the two programs. Sunday's tilt with Minnesota State Moorhead will be the 19th meeting. SMSU is 8-7-3 against the Dragons all-time.
Last week: SMSU dropped a pair of conference matches in its final home weekend, falling to Upper Iowa 3-0 on Saturday and losing to Winona State 1-0 on Sunday.
History repeats itself: If that old adage is true, SMSU is in good shape for its final two games of the 2009 season. In 2008, the Mustangs rattled off two wins to close the season. Coincidentally, those victories came against UMC and MSUM. The Mustangs topped the Golden Eagles 4-0 and snuck past the Dragons 2-1.
Farewell: Heather Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) will lace up her cleats and throw on a Mustang jersey for the last time this weekend. The midfielder is the lone senior on this year's squad. Anderson has been a mainstay on the pitch for the past four years as she is the career leader in minutes played at SMSU with 5,044. She has also scored one goal, dished out three assists and tallied 54 shots during her tenure as a Mustang.
According to the coaches: The NSIC's 14 head coaches tabbed SMSU 12th in their annual preseason poll. The Mustangs received 125 points in the poll. Minnesota State, Mankato took the No. 1 spot in the poll, grabbing one first place vote and 167 points. Winona State, the NSIC's No. 2 preseason team, received three first place votes and 159 points.
Team (first place votes) Points
1. Minnesota State (1) 167
2. Winona State (3) 159
3. Augustana 134
4. Minnesota Duluth 130
5. Mary 126
6. St. Cloud State 105
7. Northern State 98
8. Bemidji State 85
9. Upper Iowa 82
10. Concordia-St. Paul 58
11. Minnesota State Moorhead 51
12. Southwest Minnesota State 34
13. Minnesota, Crookston 23
14. Wayne State 22
The coach: Amy Olson is in her second year as the leader of SMSU soccer. The third head coach in school history, Olson has a 4-27-0 all-time record at SMSU. She is assisted by Vanessa Paswaters.
Let me point this out: The NSIC's 14 head soccer coaches this year voted to use the point system to determine standings. The league had previously determined standings by a team's overall conference record. Here's how this year's standings will break down: Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss.
Stay connected: Stay connected with SMSU soccer all season long at www.smsumustangs.com. The Mustangs are also on Facebook and Twitter; just log onto www.facebook.com/smsumustangs and www.twitter.com/smsumustangs. For the latest video highlights and new episodes of the Mustang Minute check out SMSU's official YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/smsuathletics.
