Setting the Scene: The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team (1-3, 0-2 NSIC) will travel north this weekend for Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action. SMSU will take on Northern State (2-2-2, 0-0-1 NSIC) Friday at 4 p.m. in Aberdeen. The team will travel to Bismarck on Sunday to play the University of Mary (1-4, 0-1 NSIC) at 2 p.m.
Sizing up the Competition: Northern State has won two of its last four games—both of them in a 5-0 decision. The Wolves defeated Jamestown on Sept. 20, and Mount Marty on Sept. 12. Senior Maggie Fedor leads Northern with four goals, two assists, and eight points so far this season. Close behind is Tia Lopez who has found the back of the net twice and dished out two assists.
Mary has taken on two NSIC teams so far in its young season. Augustana handed Mary its first conference loss while Wayne State tied the Marauders, 2-2. Mary is led by freshman Alex Bachman-Williams with two goals and one assist on the season, and followed by senior Jess Curl with two goals.
For the Record: SMSU and Northern State first met up in 1997 when the Mustangs defeated the Wolves. Since then, the two teams have played each other 17 times resulting in a 9-8-1 record. Northern has won the last seven meetings between the two teams including last year's game which they won, 1-0.
SMSU and Mary also played one another for the first time in 1997. The Marauders defeated the Mustangs in the first meeting and have won each of the seven times the two teams have played since then including a 1-0 win last season in Marshall.
Last Time Out: SMSU finished a three-game home stretch with a 1-2 record. On Wednesday,
Maggy Rouse scored three minutes into overtime to carry the Mustangs over Minot State with a 2-1 victory.
Kelly Fitzgerald also scored for the Mustangs. SMSU opened NSIC action on Saturday when Concordia, St. Paul defeated the Mustangs 4-1.
Courtney McCarthy scored the only goal for SMSU. Sunday brought another NSIC match-up with St. Cloud State who defeated SMSU 2-0.
Senior Experience: SMSU has plenty of leadership experience this season with six seniors on the roster including goalie,
Kendra Olchefske (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.
