OPENING KICK
After finishing 1-1 against a pair of NSIC opponents last weekend, the Southwest Minnesota State soccer team will play host this weekend as it faces Minot State on Saturday at 12 p.m., before playing U-Mary on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be played at the Schwan Regional Event Center and will be celebrating homecoming for SMSU.

OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
MINOT STATE—Minot State has been perfect since opening the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. The Beavers have defeated U-Mary, Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. MISU finished 2014 with a 10-7-2 overall record and 9-5-1 in loop play.

U-MARY—U-Mary has struggled in NSIC games this year as the Marauders have not recorded a win in NSIC play. The Marauders will face USF on Saturday before playing SMSU on Sunday. MARY finished the 2014 season 6-8-4 overall and 5-7-3 in the NSIC.

SERIES HISTORY
MINOT STATE—Southwest Minnesota State will meet Minot State for just the 6th time in program history on Saturday afternoon with MISU holding a 3-2 advantage in a series that started back in the 2010 season. The Mustangs hold a 2-0 record in games played at the Schwan Regional Event Center. The Beavers took the contest last season in Minot, 2-1. 

U-MARY—SMSU will face U-Mary for the 14th time in program history on Sunday with MARY holding a 10-3 record in a series that started back in 1997. The Mustangs will look for its third victory against U-Mary at the Schwan Regional Event Center, as the Marauders hold a 3-2 advantage in games in Marshall. SMSU has won the last two games of the series by shutout.

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 the state of South Dakota since 2010.

RECORD AT HOME
Southwest Minnesota State finished 6-3-1 in home games last season after recorded a program-best 6-1-1 in 2013. SMSU is a combined 21-31-3 in home games.