MARSHALL, Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team( 5-7-1, 4-4-1 NSIC) sets up to host their last two regular scheduled home games of the 2011 season this weekend at the Regional Event Center.  On Saturday, SMSU will face-off with Upper Iowa University (5-6-2, 3-4-2 NSIC) starting at 12 p.m.  SMSU will then compete with Winona State University (11-2-1, 9-0-0 NSIC) on Sunday, kick-off set for 1 p.m.

The match-up: The Peacocks enter the contest holding a 1-4-1 all-time series record over the Mustangs.  The only win for SMSU was a non-conference game held in 2007 that resulted in a 3-1 score.  Last season, the Mustangs and the Peacocks ended their match with a 1-1 double over-time draw held in Fayette, Iowa.

Sunday will be the 25th meeting between the Mustangs and the Warriors.   WSU holds a 0-23-2 all-time series over SMSU.  From 1996-2004 the Warriors earned 15 consecutive wins over the Mustangs. This streak was broken in 2005 with a 1-1 double over-time draw.  The second tie, which resulted after triple over-time, was at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament in 2007 where both teams ended with goose eggs.  Their last meeting in 2010 ended with a 1-0 score in favor of WSU.

Last time out: SMSU was on the road last weekend competing first with Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday then, MSU Moorhead on Sunday.

SMSU's Sonya Smith made 13 saves to help SMSU earn a 0-0 tie versus Minnesota, Crookston.  The shutout for Smith is her fourth this season and is now one shy of tying the school single-season record.

MSU Moorhead only allowed SMSU two shots on the match earning a 2-0 victory over the Mustangs.  The Dragons opened the scoring in the 31st minute to take a 1-0 halftime lead.  MSUM then added to the lead with another goal in the 50th minute.

In the record book: Senior forward Kelly Fitzgerald continues to make her way up the all-time scoring list at SMSU. The senior's 15 career goals, ranks her 10th all-time at SMSU. Fitzgerald leads the Mustangs in scoring with four goals and two assists to give her a total of eight points on the 2011 season.

Back-stopping the Mustangs: Freshman goalkeeper Sonya Smith has been nothing short of spectacular in the net for SMSU this season. Smith made an impact for the Mustangs her first weekend in goal, earning NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 7. She was the first Mustangs soccer player to earn NSIC player of the week honors since Ellen Diekemper was named offensive player of the week on Oct. 2, 2007.

By the numbers: SMSU freshman netminder Sonya Smith has moved her way into the women's soccer national rankings. Smith ranks third in all of Division II with 133 saves (10.62 saves per game) on the season. She also ranks 15th in the country with a .881 save percentage, which also ranks first amongst goalkeepers in the NSIC. 

Scouting the Peacocks: UIU enters the contest with a record of 5-6-2, and 3-4-2 in NSIC play.  The Peacocks have scored 23 goals with 16 assists on the season.  Leading UIU in goals is Liz Kaluzinski with five on the season.  Amanda Smith has started 10 games in goal for the Peacocks with 55 saves and sits at 2-5-2.  Upper Iowa is coming off a 1-0 loss road game on the 15th against University of Mary.

Scouting the Warriors: Winona enters the match-up on Sunday with a record of 11-2-1, and 9-0-0 in the NSIC.  The Warriors have scored 24 goals off of 24 assists on the season and is led by Melissa Sellier with eight goals and seven assists of her own.  Anna Belpedio has started every game in goal for Winona with 77 saves and an 11-2-1 record.  The Warriors are coming into play off a winning weekend against Northern State (2-0) and University of Mary(2-1).

In the ranks: SMSU earned a spot in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Central Region rankings last week. The Mustangs debuted at No. 10 in the regional rankings. SMSU has since dropped out of the rankings.

Watch us on New Media TV: All SMSU home soccer matches will be available to watch live for FREE via web streaming through New Media TV. Click HERE for live video streaming of SMSU home games.

We'll do it live: Live statistics will be available for ALL SMSU home soccer matches. For live stats against Upper Iowa click HERE. For live stats against Winona State click HERE.

Returning veterans: SMSU returns 10 players from the 2010 roster with playing experience at SMSU. The Mustangs return a core of five seniors, including last season's leading goal scorer #Kelly Fitzgerald# and All-NSIC selection goalkeeper Kendra Olchefske, Brittany Oehlerking, Alyssa Lavorata, and #Amber Williamson# each have contributed to the Mustang soccer program during their careers. SMSU also returns three sophomores and three juniors from 2010.

California connection: Transfer student-athlete Vanesa Corona and freshman Kailey Fernandez both call the state of California home. Corona is a transfer from Cypress College in Cypress, Calif. who scored 21 goals in two seasons at Cypress College. Fernandez comes to Marshall via Villa Park High School in Orange, Calif. She led her team in goals and was named the team's defensive MVP as a senior.

Seeing double: Twin sister's Shayna and Sonya Smith from Anoka, Minn. join the Mustangs for their freshman season in 2011. They join a team that is no stranger to sibling connections. Current Mustang sophomore Whitney Borstad played one season with her older sister Tatum Borstad, SMSU's all-time leader in minutes played, who played with her older sister Kayla Borstad during her senior season in 2007.

What happened in 2010: SMSU finished the 2010 season 1-11-4 overall, including 0-9-4 in NSIC play. #Kelly Fitzgerald# led the team scoring four goals while adding one assist for nine points on the season. Goalkeeper Kendra Olchefske was named All-NSIC third team in 2010. Olchefske finished the 2010 season ranked second in the NSIC with 8.69 saves per game.

The coach: TJ Buchholz is in his first season as head coach at SMSU in 2011 with a record of 5-7-1, 4-4-1 in NSIC play. Buchholz was named the fourth head coach in program history on April 19, 2011. Buchholz has nine seasons of head coaching experience at the collegiate level. He came to SMSU after spending the 2010 season as assistant women's soccer coach at NCAA Division I California-Riverside. Prior to UC-Riverside, Buchholz spent two seasons (2008-09) as the head women's and men's soccer coach at Wartburg College (Iowa) and seven seasons (2001-07) as head coach of the men's program at Northwestern College (Iowa). He also served one season as the Northwestern head women's soccer coach (2007).  His career head coaching record in women's soccer is 43-21-6 in three seasons and 99-69-7 in nine seasons as a men's head coach.

According to the coaches: Southwest Minnesota State was picked to finish 14th in the NSIC preseason poll in 2011. Winona State was picked as the preseason favorite for the second consecutive season.

1. Winona State (12) 168
2. Minnesota Duluth (1) 146
3. Minnesota State (1) 141
4. Augustana 122
5. University of Mary 115
6. Bemidji State 111
7. St. Cloud State 102
8. Upper Iowa 92
9. Wayne State 80
10. Northern State 62
11.Concordia-St. Paul 53
12. Minnesota, Crookston 31
13. MSU Moorhead 29
14. SMSU 22

History lesson: 2011 marks the 16th season of women's college soccer at Southwest Minnesota State. SMSU owns an all-time record of 89-183-20, including 54-78-13 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

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