THIS WEEK
-The Southwest Minnesota State University soccer team (4-9-1 overall, 3-8-1 NSIC) hosts Concordia-St. Paul (7-6-2, 6-4-2) at 6 p.m. on Friday before traveling to Mankato to face Minnesota State (12-2-1, 10-1-1) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
LAST WEEK
-The Mustangs split a pair of weekend road matches, dropping a 4-0 match against Bemidji State on Friday before defeating Minnesota Crookston 4-1 on Sunday.
-On Friday, Bemidji State dominated the game, outshooting SMSU 23-7 with 10 on net compared to the SMSU four. SMSU would hold BSU to a 1-0 lead into the second half, but would score two goals in 12 seconds and another goal in the 58th minute to defeat the Mustangs.
-On Sunday, The Mustangs offense asserted dominance early, outshooting Crookston 12-1 while putting seven shots on net in the first half, and would outshoot UMC 27-7, while putting ten more shots on goal than the Golden Eagles.
-Four different Mustangs would score, with Emily Maciel and Kylee Bennett each scoring their first career goals, Jessica Jugovich scoring her first goal of the season, and Alex Lotts netting her fourth of the season, while also collecting her fourth assist of the season on the Jugovich goal.
SERIES HISTORY
-SMSU is 11-11-1 all-time against Concordia-St. Paul, with the first meeting coming in 1999.
-Their last meeting came in 2019 when CSP would net the winner in the first overtime to win a 1-0 match.
-SMSU is 1-19-1 all-time against Minnesota State, with their first match coming in 1996.
-Their last meeting came on Oct. 11, 2019, when the Mavericks scored four first half goals to help lead them to a 5-1 victory.
ERIN KASMARIK-MALLETT FILES
-Erin Kasmarik-Mallett, the fifth head coach in Mustang history, enters her seventh season leading the Mustangs, and her sixth season of competition.
-Kasmarik-Mallett has compiled a career record of 34-65-4 overall, including 30-54-3 in conference play.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
-This past weekend saw 11 freshmen get action for the Mustangs, including eight in the starting XI's.
-True freshman Julianne Arballo recorded her first start of the season on Sunday, making three saves and giving up a goal in their 4-1 victory.
-Redshirt freshman Emily Maciel took the team with four of her first five shots of the season on the weekend, including three on Sunday and one that accounted for her first career goal.
-Kylee Bennett made an impact in only 19 minutes of action Sunday, picking up her first career goal as well.
-Kirsten Wetterstrom contninued applying offensive pressure, taking seven shots on the weekend and putting two shots on net.
-The 2021 season has seen 15 freshmen get action for the Mustangs, with 12 tallying starts.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
-The Mustangs are 3-8-1 to start conference play
-Alex Lotts leads the team offensively, scoring four goals and dishing four assists for the Mustangs on the season.
-Abbey Hoisington has also helped shoulder the offensive load, tying the team with four goals while having a team-high 18 shots on net.
-Katie Oatman has held down the defense this season, leading the team in minutes and has taken six shots, including a pair of shots on goal.
-Meghan Harkin has started all but one game in net for the SMSU, giving 1.33 goals against
ON THE HORIZON
-SMSU closes out the regular season Friday, Nov. 5 at Sioux Falls.
-Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
SCOUTING Concordia-st. Paul
-Steve Bellis is in his 11th season as head women's soccer coach at CSP.
-CSP has started the season 7-6-2 and is 6-4-2 in the NSIC after dropping a 3-1 decision to UMary on the road on Friday and tying 0-0 at Minot State on Sunday.
-CSP was picked to finish third in the NSIC preseason coaches poll
-CSP is lead by Katie Anderson, whose six goals and 34 shots on goal leads the team.
-Freshman Jessi Jordan is 5-4-1 in goal for CSP, giving up 16 goals while recording three shutouts.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA State
-Brian Bahl is in his ninth season at the helm of the Minnesota State soccer program.
-MSU has started the season 12-2-1 and 10-1-1 in the conference after winning a pair of matches 3-0, first against Minot State on Friday and then Sunday against UMary
-MSU was picked to finish first in the NSIC preseason coaches poll
-UMC is led by Jenny Vetter, who has tallied 15 goals on 29 SOG to lead the Mavericks
-Sophomore Mackenzie Rath has nine games between the pipes for MSU, giving up just three goals and recording six shutouts.
2021 Outlook
-SMSU returns two of their top three scorers from 2019 in Abbey Hoisington and Alex Lotts, with Katie Oatman and Jessica Jugovich also scoring goals in 2019.
-SMSU was voted ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll
-Abbey Hoisington and Katie Oatman were named NSIC Players to Watch.
SMSU PICKED 9TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
-SMSU was voted ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll
-Abbey Hoisington and Katie Oatman were named NSIC Players to Watch
-Minnesota State was picked to top the conference, with Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, Bemidji State, and St Cloud State rounding out the top five.
REWINDING TO 2019
-SMSU is coming off one of its best seasons in recent years in 2019, finishing with an 11-7 overall record, including 9-6 NSIC.
-It was the program's first winning season since 2014 and also qualified for the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2015.
-Abbey Hoisington returns after collecting All-NSIC second team.
SMSU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
-SMSU's lone NCAA Tournament appearance was made in 2013.
-SMSU is 2-1 in the NCAA tournament all time, outscoring teams by a score of 5-4.
SEASON OPENERS
-SMSU is 5-19 all-time in season openers following this season's 1-0 victory on the road against Black Hills State.
SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
-The 2021 campaign marks the 24th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
-SMSU has an all-time record of 109-153-19 in 279 conference games, finishing with a winning conference record in nine seasons.
MUSTANG HISTORY
-Southwest Minnesota State is in its 26th season of soccer in 2021 and 25th season of competition.
-SMSU has played 458 games compiling an all-time record of 154-276-28.
-SMSU has made 14 NSIC tournaments, and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament in 2013.
-SMSU has recorded four winning seasons in program history
