THIS WEEK

-The Southwest Minnesota State University soccer team (1-5 overall, 0-4 NSIC) kicks off the month of October on the road for a pair of NSIC matches on Friday, Oct. 1, facing St. Cloud State (2-3-1, 2-1-1), and Minnesota Duluth (0-7, 0-4) on Sunday, Oct. 3.

-Kickoff in St. Cloud is set for 5 p.m. Friday, while kickoff in Duluth is set for 12 p.m. on Sunday.

    LAST WEEK

-The Mustangs dropped a pair of conference home matches at the hands of Minot State and UMary over the weekend.

-On Friday, SMSU struck first when Abbey Hoisington scored in the 13th minute to take a 1-0 lead that would stand through the half.

-Minot State would score two goals in the second half, including the game winner in the 89th minute to win 2-1.

-The Mustangs would be shut out on Sunday, a game where a 0-0 halftime score would tilt in the favor of UMary in the 60th minute to give them a 1-0 victory

    SERIES HISTORY

-SMSU is 9-15-2 all-time against St. Cloud State, with the first meeting coming in 1996.

-Their last meeting came in 2019, when the Mustangs scored a pair of goals in the first half to give them a 2-1 victory.

-SMSU is 5-24 all time against Minnesota Duluth, with their first match coming in 1996

-Their last meeting came on Oct. 25, 2019, when the Mustangs scored a golden goal in double overtime to win 3-2

    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 31-61-3 overall, including 27-50-2 in conference play.

    BETWEEN THE POSTS

-SMSU redshirt freshman Meghan Harkin has started every game in net for the young Mustangs club, recording nine saves over the weekend. 

-Harkin has given up 1.15 goals per game, while averaging 4.17 saves a match.

    YOUTH MOVEMENT

-This past weekend saw 12 freshmen get action for the Mustangs, including six in the starting XI's.

-Redshirt Meghan Harkin recorded 4.5 saves a match in two games.

-True freshman Kirsten Wetterstrom led the team Friday with four shots, while putting one of the shots on net.

-True freshman Laney Brill was the main source of offense on Sunday, collecting three of the four shots on goal for the Mustangs

-The 2021 season has seen 13 freshmen get action for the Mustangs, with nine tallying starts.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE   

-The Mustangs are 0-4 to start conference play

-Alex Lotts leads the team offensively, scoring two of three Mustang goals on the season.

-Katie Oatman has held down the defense this season, playing nearly every minute and taking a pair of shots, including one shot on goal.

-Meghan Harkin has started every game in net for the SMSU, giving up less than one goal against per game. 

    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. 

    ON THE HORIZON

-SMSU prepare for homecoming, facing Wayne State at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8, and Augustana at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 10 at the Schwan Regional Event Center. 

    SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE

-Head coach Gretta Arvesen enters her seventh season leading the charge for the Huskies, and his the sixth head coach in their history.

-SCSU has started the season 2-3-1 and is 2-1-1 in the NSIC after a pair of road victories at Winona State and Upper Iowa over the weekend.

-SCSU was picked to finish fifth in the NSIC preseason coaches poll

-SCSU is lead by Nicole Friis, who has scored three goals and an assist, while leading the team with 12 shots on goal. She was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after tallying two goals and an assist on the weekend. 

-Redshirt freshman Evie Kohn has started every game in net for SCSU, giving up eight goals in six games while making 21 saves.
 

    SCOUTING MINNESOTA DULUTH

-Head coach Greg Cane enters his 28th season leading the charge for the Bulldogs, and was the first coach in program history.

-UMD has started the season 0-7 and 0-4 in the conference after dropping a pair of road matches at Upper Iowa and Winona State-

-UMD was picked to finish 11th in the NSIC preseason coaches poll

-UMD is lead by Lauren Singstock, who has tallied a goal and assist on six shots on goal for the Bulldogs

-Senior Sophia Grenz has started every game between the pipes for UMD, making 45 saves in seven games while giving up 2.92 goals per game.

    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 106-149-19 in 272 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 445 games compiling an all-time record of 151-272-27. 

-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