THIS WEEK
The Southwest Minnesota State University soccer team (0-0-3) opens its conference slate at home, hosting Upper Iowa on Friday, Sept. 9, at 3 p.m. and Winona State on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.
LAST WEEK
SMSU closed out its final non-conference regular season game of the season with a 0-0 draw on the road against Missouri Western State Friday night.
The Mustangs fired off three shots, with Tessa Borwick, Erin Wetterstrom, and Brooke Wetterstrom all accounting for a shot.
Rachel Hicks recorded her second consecutive clean sheet, making seven saves to keep the Griffons scoreless.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
The Mustangs are 0-0-3 after two weeks.
Selena Prolic and Kirsten Wetterstrom lead the team offensively, each accounting for a goal.
Brooke Wetterstrom has also helped shoulder the offensive load, putting pressure on the defense to the tune of six shots and five shots on goal.
Sydney Johnson has distributed the only assist so far.
Katie Oatman has held down the backline this season, leading the team in minutes and has started all three games.
Rachel Hicks has started a pair of games in net for the SMSU, recording a clean sheet in each game, and has 11 saves.
FRESH FACES
10 newcomers made their Mustang debuts this season.
Rachel Hicks has been solid in net for SMSU, recording two clean sheets in two games.
Sydney Johnson played in two games, assisting on the first goal of the season in last Friday's 2-2 tie against ECU.
Ciarra Valdez is one of five players to start every game, taking a shot and playing 260 of 270 minutes.
Brooke Wetterstrom, who has played in every game, leads the Mustangs with six shots and five shots on goal.
Haley Mason, Hannah Walburg, Tessa Borwick, and Lenee Chavez have all recorded a start.
SERIES HISTORY
SMSU and Upper Iowa will meet for the 18th time in program history, with Upper Iowa having the advantage, leading thes series 10-5-2.
Their first meeting came last season, as Upper Iowa scored the game winner in the second half to pull out the 1-0 decision.
Sunday will mark the 37th matchup between SMSU and Winona State, as the Warriors have won 32 of the 36 matchups and have tied three times
Their last matchup came a season ago, as Winona State defeated SMSU 2-1. SMSU's lone victory came in 2019.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
Josh Davis enters his first year as head coach of the Peacocks
UIU has opened the season 1-2, with their lone win against Rockhurst
The Peacocks were picked to finish 14th in the NSIC preseason coaches poll
UIU is led by Rachyl Benavides, whose lone goal this season was a game winner, and Jamie Kerkvliet, who yet to allow a goal in 135 minutes of action.
SCOUTING WINONA STATE
Matt Kellogg enters his fifth season with the Winona State soccer program
WSU is 2-1 this season, with wins over Nebraska-Kearney and East Central to open the season.
The Warriors were picked to finish ninth in the NSIC preseason coaches poll
WSU is led by Ashley Hewitt, who has a pair of goals, including an game-winner, and Chloe Swanson, who has started two games in net, both wins, and has made nine saves.
2022 OUTLOOK
The Southwest Minnesota State soccer program returns 18 letter winners from a youthful 2021 team that finished 4-11-2 overall and 3-10-2 in conference play but closed the season going 3-5-2.
First-year head coach Clay Glasgow, fielding a roster that includes a pair of seniors, six juniors, 12 sophomores, and eight freshmen, welcomes back 100% of goal scoring from a year ago, led by Alex Lotts and Abbey Hoisington.
Lotts, the junior striker from Champlin, Minn., returns after tying for the team lead with four goals and also led the team with four assists.
Hoisington, the senior forward from Chantilly, Va., scored four goals on 19 shots on goal.
Sophomore forward Kirsten Wetterstrom returns after earning All-NSIC second team honors a season ago, scoring three goals on a team-high 32 shots.
Senior defender Katie Oatman is back to patrol the back line after leading the team with 1419 minutes played last season.
Sophomore Julianne Arballo is the lone returner in net for the Mustangs after going 2-2-1 last season while allowing 1.85 goals against average.
SMSU PICKED 13TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
SMSU was voted 13th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Kirsten Wetterstrom and Katie Oatman were named NSIC Players to Watch
Minnesota State was picked to top the conference, with Bemidji State, Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, and UMary rounding out the top five.
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 5-19-1 all-time in season openers following this season's 2-2 tie against East Cetnral (Okla.)
SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
The 2022 campaign marks the 25th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
SMSU has an all-time record of 109-155-19 in 281 conference games, finishing with a winning conference record in nine seasons.
MUSTANG HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 27th season of soccer in 2022 and 26th season of competition.
SMSU has played 462 games compiling an all-time record of 154-278-32.
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
