THIS WEEK
-The Southwest Minnesota State University soccer team (1-0) returns home in the regular season for the first time in nearly two seasons on Sunday Sept. 12, taking on Missouri Western State (2-0) at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Minn.
-Sunday will be the first time the Mustangs take the field at the Schwan Regional Event Center for regular season action in 673 days, defeating Sioux Falls 2-1 on Nov. 9, 2019.
LAST WEEK
-The Mustangs opened their season in Spearfish, S.D., beating Black Hills State 2-1 on Friday
-The game played to a draw until SMSU's Alex Lotts' unassisted goal in the 79th minute. This was Lotts' seventh goal of her career.
-SMSU out-shot Black Hills State 14-9 with Kirsten Wetterstrom recording four shots, and Lotts, Abbey Hoisington, and Selena Prolic all tallying three shots.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
-SMSU and Missouri Western State will meet for the first time.
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 31-56-3 overall, including 27-46-2 in conference play.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
-SMSU redshirt freshman Meghan Harkin made her collegiate debut in net against Black Hills State on Friday, Sept. 3.
-Harkin was solid, sending away both shots on target to record the first shutout by a freshman in her first start at SMSU since 2013.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
-The season opener saw 11 freshmen get action for the Mustangs, including eight in the starting XI.
-Redshirt Meghan Harkin recorded a clean sheet in her first start, making two saves in the process.
-True freshman Kirsten Wetterstrom led the team with four shots, while putting one shot on net.
-True freshman Selena Prolic added to the offensive attack, taking three shots, and recording a shot on net
ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
-Sunday will be the first time the Mustangs take the field at the Schwan Regional Event Center for regular season action in 673 days, defeating Sioux Falls 2-1 on Nov. 9, 2019
-The Mustangs played in five scrimmages against conference opponents in the spring of 2021, finishing 2-2-1.
-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.
SCOUTING MISSOURI WESTERN STATE
-Head coach Damian Macias enters his second season leading the charge for the Griffons, with his first season canceled due to COVID-19.
-MWSU has started the season 2-0, with a 2-1 victory over Concordia-St. Paul, and a 4-1 victory against Rockhurst.
-MWSU was picked to finish 6th in the MIAA preseason coaches poll
-MWSU is lead by Kaili Campbell, who accounted for a hat trick in the Griffons win over Rockhurst.
-Junior Anna Mayer has started both games between the pipes for MWSU, recording an .800 save percentage and eight saves overall.
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.
ON THE HORIZON
-SMSU opens its conference slate at Upper Iowa on Friday, Sept. 17, and at Winona State on Sunday, Sept. 19.
-The Mustangs return home for conference games against Minot State on Friday, Sept. 24, and UMary on Sunday, Sept. 26.
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 106-145-19 in 270 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 151-267-27.
-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
