What's On Tap: The Minnesota State women's soccer program begins the 2014 campaign when it travels to the Sooner State  to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday at 3 p.m., and Central Oklahoma on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Mavericks are coming off a season in which they finished with a 17-3-2 overall record en route to winning the NSIC regualar season and tournament titles while also making their sixth-straight NCAA tournament appearance. In all, MSU will be returning nine starters including 2013 NSIC Offensive Player of the Year junior Korey Kronforst and 2014 NSIC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year senior Breanna Steele.

Beat the Best to Be the Best:  The Mavericks will play four teams ranked within the top-25 in the NSCAA Preseason Coaches poll with the first match against No. 1 and defending national champion Grand Valley State on September 14 at 12 p.m. at the Pitch. MSU will travel to No. 21 Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 21 and No. 8 Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 24 before hosting No. 23 Winona State in the season finale on Nov. 2.
 
Starting Strong Out of the Gate: MSU is 13-6-0 all-time in season openers and has not lost an opening game since a 2-1 home loss to Truman State in 2006. Senior Emily Moris is the only current Maverick to score a goal during a season opener during her career.

Looking Back at Preseason Play: The Mavericks went 3-0 in exhibition play posting  three shutouts. MSU had a pair of 6-0 wins over Augsburg College and St. Olaf while they beat Hamline 4-0 in their final tune up before the start of the regular season.

MSU scored 16  goals during preseason play while not allowing a single goal. Kronforst netted five goals to lead the team. Senior Sydney Temple, sophomore Karissa Prpich, freshman Jenny Hoerter and freshman Abby Nordeen each scored two goals. Sophomore Kianna Nickel along with two freshman in Laura Schwickerath and Marisa Berutti rounded out the scoring with a goal a piece.

Scouting the Bulldogs: Southwestern Oklahoma State is coming off a 2013 campaign in which it finished with a 13-4-2 overall record and 7-1-1 in conference play, good for first place in the Great American Conference. The Bulldogs did lose seven starters from last season, but return 12 letterwinners in 2014.

Head coach Mark Persson is entering his 6th season at the helm of the Bulldog program and is the all-time winingest coach with a record of  53-36-8. Southwestern Oklahoma State returns junior Ashlee Beitinger (Mf., Denton, Texas) who has two Second Team All-GAC honors under her belt and was the 2012 GAC Freshman of the Year. SWOSU also brings back 2013 GAC Freshman of the Year and GAC Goaltender of the Year sophomore Courtney Flores (Gk., Plano, Texas). Flores lead the league in goals against average (.80) and shutouts (6).

Inside the MSU vs. SWOSU Series: The meeting between the Mavericks and Bulldogs will be the first ever between the two schools.

Scouting the Bronchos: The University of Cental Oklahoma is coming off a 2013 season that saw the Bronchos finish 9-10-2 overall, including a 4-5-2 mark in the MIAA finishing in eigth  place. UCO returns 14 letterwinners from a team that made it to the finals of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament, including 11 that started seven games or more.

Head coach Mike Cook has been the head coach of the Bronchos since the programs inception in 1998, owning a 239-85-21 career record. UCO returns senior Sarah Purcell (Fwd., Richmond, Texas) who was the teams leading sorer a year ago with 9 goals and 19 points earning All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors. The Bronchos also return junior Quinn Tookey (Def., Colleyville, Texas) who was the fourth leading scorer on the team and also garnered All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors.

Inside the MSU vs. UCO  Series: Minnesota State owns a 1-0-0 record against Central Oklahoma with their only meeting coming in the 2012 NCAA Central Region Tournament in which MSU won the match 1-0.

Program History: The 2014 season marks the 20th year of women's soccer as a varsity sport at Minnesota State. MSU claimed its second-straight NSIC regular-season championship  last year after capturing NCC regular-season crowns in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2007.  The Mavericks currently hold a 240-109-27 (.674) all-time record and 54-11-7 (.860) all-time mark in six seasons in the NSIC. MSU has posted 16 consecutive winning seasons dating back to 1998.

The full 13 page PDF release can be seen HERE.