Setting the Scene: The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team (1-10-3, 0-8-3 NSIC) will return home for its final matches of the regular season when they take on Bemidji State (12-3-0, 8-3-0 NSIC) on Saturday at noon, and Minnesota Duluth (9-4-2, 9-2-0 NSIC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Regional Event Center. Sunday's game will mark the final SMSU competition for five Mustangs who will be honored at the game.

Sizing up the Competition: Bemidji State currently sits at third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference behind Winona State and Minnesota Duluth, respectively. Ashlee Ellefsen currently sits second on the leader board for shots taken on the season with 62. She is averaging 4.13 shots a game. Goalie, Samantha Ross is also fifth in the league with 69 saves on the saves on the season.

 

Second in the conference, Minnesota Duluth has scored a cumulative 29 goals on the season while holding its opponents to just nine scores. UMD is led by Dani Potter who has six goals on the season as well as three assists and 15 points. Potter scored the only goal in the Bulldogs' 1-0 win over Bemidji State on Friday.

For the Record: SMSU has played Bemidji State a total of fifteen times in a series that began in 1996. The Mustangs currently have the upper hand against the Beavers with a 10-3-2 record; however, Bemidji State defeated SMSU in their match-up last season by a 4-0 decision.

 

UMD has taken all eighteen games between the Bulldogs and SMSU. The two teams first met in 1996 when Minnesota Duluth shut-out SMSU in a 7-0 victory. The Bulldogs won last year by a smaller margin of 2-0.

Last Time Out: SMSU was on the road last weekend when they were defeated by Winona State in a 1-0 decision on Saturday in Winona, and knocked Upper Iowa out of NSIC conference play on Sunday by notching a 1-1 double overtime tie against the Peacocks. Kelly Fitzgerald scored the only goal of the weekend in the second half of Sunday's game on an assist from Tatum Borstad.

 

Senior Experience: SMSU has plenty of leadership experience this season with six seniors on the roster including goalie, Kendra Olechefske (Albert Lea, Minn.), Tatum Borstad(Coppell, Tex.), Jenna Perske (Sartell, Minn.), Kate Voigt (Hudson, Wis.), and Liz Judkins (Bemidji, Minn.). This group of seniors has charted three-year overall record of 8-41-4.

Stay connected: Stay connected with SMSU soccer all season long at www.smsumustangs.com. The Mustangs are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smsumustangs and Twitter at www.twitter.com/smsumustangs.

 

Team Information

Head Coach: Amy Olson (3rd season)

Alma Mater: Howard, 2001

E-mail: amy.olson@smsu.edu

Office Phone: 507-537-7256

Record at SMSU: 5-28-0

Career Record: 15-82-1

Office Phone: 507.537.7256

Assistant Coach: Vanessa Paswaters

First Year of Play: 1996

All-Time Record: 82-165-15