OPENING KICK
The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team will begin Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this weekend with a conference opener at Sioux Falls on Friday night at 6 p.m. The Mustangs will then return home for a non-conference home opener against Southwest Baptist on Sunday with a 1 p.m. start time.

OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
SIOUX FALLS—Sioux Falls open its season against Northwest Missouri State and suffered a 1-0 loss in overtime before tabbing its first win of the season against Northwestern Oklahoma State, 1-0. USF finished 2014 with a 2-15-1 overall record and 2-13 in loop play.

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST—SBU, a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, opened up the 2015 season with three losses to Augustana University (S.D.), Northern State and Quincy University. The Bearcats finished the 2014 campaign 16-5-1 overall and 11-3 in the MIAA.

SERIES HISTORY
SIOUX FALLS—Southwest Minnesota State will meet Sioux Falls for the 11th time in program history. SMSU and USF are split 3-3 in the series that started in the 1996 season. The Mustangs have won the last three matches with their last loss coming back in 2011 in Marshall. SMSU handled the Cougars last season, 6-1 in Marshall.

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST—SMSU will face Southwest Baptist for the first time in program history in it's home opener. The Mustangs will look for its first home-opener win since the 2013 season.

HEAD COACH
Erin Kasmarik-Mallett begins 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 the state of South Dakota since 2010.

ALL-TIME HOME OPENERS
SMSU is 5-14 all-time in home openers, with it's last coming in the 2013 season against Lindenwood (Mo.). The Mustangs lost last season's home opener versus Fort Hays State (Kans.) 4-1.