OPENING KICKThe Southwest Minnesota State women's soccer team will wrap up regular season play this weekend as they travel to Augustana for a 3 p.m., contest on Friday, before finishing the season at home on Sunday against Wayne State at 1 p.m. SMSU is 7-7-2 overall and 7-5-1 in the NSIC entering the final weekend and is tied for sixth place in the conference with 22 points.
OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
AUGUSTANA-Augustana will enter the weekend 13-2-1 overall nd 11-1-1 in the NSIC. The Vikings moved back into the Top 25 to No. 23 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division II Top-25 Poll. Augustana had its eight-game winning streak broke after suffering a loss to Minnesota State on Oct. 18. Since then, the Vikings have won their last two games including its lone overtime win last week to U-Mary and defeating ranked Minot State on the road.
WAYNE STATE-WSC will enter the weekend 3-10-1 overall and 3-9-1 in the NSIC. Wayne State will host Sioux Falls on Friday before playing SMSU on Sunday. The Wildcats have struggled this season as they have just three wins coming from U-Mary, Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Crookston. WSC has seven game that have been decided by one goal with four of them being on the losing side. In its last 10 contests, Wayne State has found the back of the goal just seven times and have shutout five of those times.
SERIES HISTORY
AUGUSTANA-Southwest Minnesota State will meet Augustana for the 17th time in program history on Friday afternoon, while the Vikings hold a 11-4-1 advantage in a series that started back in 2000. The Vikings hold a 4-1-1 advantage in games in Sioux Falls with SMSU's last win in Sioux Falls coming back in 2003. SMSU snapped an 11-game skid to the Vikings last year with a 2-1 win in Marshall.
WAYNE STATE-SMSU will face Wayne State for the 25th time in program history on Sunday, while holding a 12-9-3 advantage in a series that started back in the 1997 season. The Mustangs hold a 9-2-1 advantage in games played at the Schwan Regional Event Center with it's last win coming back in 2011. SMSU and defeated WSC last season in Wayne and tied with the Wildcats in 2013 in Marshall.
HEAD COACHErin Kasmarik-Mallett is in her first season as head women's soccer coach at Southwest Minnesota State in 2015. She was named to the position on July 23, 2015. Kasmarik-Mallett, who becomes the fifth head coach in program history, comes to SMSU after serving as the head boys' soccer coach at Brookings (S.D.) High School for two seasons (2013-14) and has also served as an assistant women's soccer coach at South Dakota State University. She has also coached several club teams in South Dakota since 2010.
