OPENING KICK
The Southwest Minnesota State women's soccer team received a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament bid this past weekend for the third consecutive season. The Mustangs earned the seventh seed and will face the second seed Augustana University on Wednesday at 2 p.m. SMSU concluded its regular season with an overall record of 8-8-2 and 8-6-1 in league play.

SCOUTING AUGUSTANA
Augustana finished the regular season 15-2-1 overall and 13-1-1 in the NSIC, which marked the best season in program history. The Vikings are ranked No. 23 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and earned the No. 2 seed in the NSIC tournament. Augustana had its eight-game winning streak during the season but had it snapped after losing to Minnesota State, 2-1 to suffer its only NSIC loss. Since then, the Vikings won their last four games and will enter postseason play on a four-game winning streak.

SERIES VS.  AUGUSTANA
Southwest Minnesota State will meet Augustana for the 18th time in program history on Wednesday afternoon, while the Vikings hold a 12-4-1 advantage in a series that started back in 2000. The Vikings hold a 5-1-1 advantage in games in Sioux Falls with SMSU's last win in Sioux Falls coming back in 2003. SMSU suffered a 1-0 loss earlier this season to the Vikings, while SMSU snapped an 11-game skid to the Vikings last year with a 2-1 win in Marshall.

NOTES FROM SMSU'S LAST MATCH
SMSU finished the regular season on a high note after defeating Wayne State, 1-0. Kendahl Fisher scored her third goal of the season and gave SMSU a 1-0 lead in the 82nd minute. The Mustang defense held on and did not let the Wayne State get a shot off the rest of the game. Kristy Leopold started in goal and grabbed the only two saves in the game before Brienna Dehkes came in relief in the second half. Dehkes picked up the win and moves to 2-5-1 on the season.

HEAD COACH
Erin 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.

SMSU IN THE NSIC TOURNAMENT
The Mustangs kick off postseason play on Wednesday with the 2015 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament. As the No. 7 seed, SMSU will travel to No. 2 seed Augustana University. SMSU is 7-18-1 all-time in the NSIC tourney. The Mustangs last NSIC tourney win came back in 2004 against Northern State. SMSU tied in 2007 with Winona State and advanced to the semifinals after wining a shootout.