OPENING KICK
The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team (4-6, 3-4 NSIC) continues NSIC play this Friday and Sunday with a pair of matches. The Mustangs will first play at Upper Iowa University (5-4, 4-3 NSIC) on Friday at 3 p.m. in Fayette, Iowa, before hosting Winona State (4-5-1, 1-5-1 NSIC) on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Schwan Regional Event Center. SMSU will look to build off a 5-1 victory over the University of Mary last Sunday and record its first back-to-back victories this season. On Sunday, SMSU will look to earn its first-ever win versus Winona State in 32 games.  

OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE:
Upper Iowa— Upper Iowa is on a season-high three-game winning streak entering Friday's match and is 5-4 overall, 4-3 in NSIC play. Brianne Fenton leads the team with six points (2-2--6), while Christianan Atteberry and Jordyn Ostrowski each have two goals as well. UIU has scored 10 goals on the season and is averaging 11.8 shots per game. UIU opponents have scored 11 goals and are averaging 14.1 shots per game.

Winona State— Winona State begins the weekend on a three-game losing streak and a four-game winless streak. WSU plays host to Sioux Falls on Friday before taking on SMSU on Sunday. The Warriors are led by Abby Bohanski, who has a team-leading six goals and 13 points on the season. Courtney Wienck has three goals and eight assists. WSU has scored 15 goals and is averaging 14.6 shots per game, while opponents have scored 14 goals and average 11.9 shots per game.

SERIES HISTORY
Upper Iowa— Upper Iowa leads the all-time series 7-3-2, but the teams have split the last four matches. SMSU won last season 1-0 in Marshall. UIU earned a 2-0 victory the last time the teams played in Fayette during the 2014 season. SMSU is 1-4-2 all-time in Fayette, with the lone victory coming in 2007.

Winona State—SMSU has never defeated Winona State in 31 games, with WSU holding a 28-0-3 advantage, including 9-0-2 in games played in Marshall. The two squads played to a 0-0 double overtime tie a season ago in Marshall.


HEAD COACH
Erin Kasmarik-Mallett is now in her second season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State and has an overall record of 12-15-2, including 11-10-1 in NSIC play. She was named to the position on July 23, 2015. Kasmarik-Mallet, the fifth women's soccer head coach at SMSU, posted the most wins (8) for a first-year head coach in the program's history in 2015.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Southwest Minnesota State broke out of a scoreless streak in a big way in a 5-1 victory over U-Mary last Sunday. After suffering back-to-back shutouts versus Minnesota State and Minot State, SMSU scored a season-high five goals versus the Marauders. It was the first time SMSU scored five goals in a match since defeating St. Cloud State, 5-1 on Oct. 4, 2014.

MUSTANGS IN EXTRA TIME
Southwest Minnesota State is 2-0 in overtime matches this season following its 3-2 victory in extra time over Northern State. Despite conceding game tying goals during regulation of those two matches, the Mustangs have shown resiliency with two game winners in overtime periods so far. This season now marks the first time the Mustangs have won multiple overtime matches since the 2006 season. SMSU has never posted three overtime wins in the program's 20-year history.

FOUR MUSTANGS RECORD NUMBER 1
A total of four different Mustangs scored their first goals of the season in a victory over U-Mary on Oct. 2. Emily Hofmann, Morgan Weyer-Coates, Morgan Darner and Sarah Keppler all reached the back of the net to lead SMSU to the 5-1 win.

MISKOWIEC MAGIC
Freshman forward, Alexandra Miskowiec, has been contributing to the Mustangs' offense more and more each week scoring in three of the last five matches. Despite taking just 11 total shots, Miskowiec has made the most of her opportunities with seven shots on goal and is tied for the team lead with three goals on the season. After coming off of the bench in the season opener, Miskowiec has started every match since.

STRIKING QUICK
The Mustangs have been able to get on the scoresheet early in two matches so far this season. SMSU took an early lead over Concordia-St. Paul in just the 13th minute on Sept. 23 and also took a 1-0 lead over Sioux Falls in just the 12th minute on Sept. 9. The fastest goal in SMSU history was scored by Miranda Cadena in 2014 just 23 seconds versus Augustana.

HUDDLESTON HEATING UP
Junior midfielders Emily Huddleston put together one of her best games of the season in the over U-Mary on Oct. 2. She scored a goal and dished out an assist in the 5-1 victory and now is tied for the team lead with seven points.

HISTORY LESSON
Southwest Minnesota State now holds a 132-223-26 all-time record since it began competing in women's soccer in 1996. The Mustangs have a mark of 90-109-18 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition and have produced three winning seasons and one NCAA tournament appearance.

UP NEXT
Southwest Minnesota State will host St. Cloud State on Saturday, Oct. 15, and also host Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Oct. 16.