MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's soccer team outright won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Sunday afternoon with their 4-0 win against Upper Iowa on Sunday.
 
After the win, the Mavericks closed out their regular season with a 16-1-1 record on the season and 14-0-1 in the Northern Sun.  After the match, Upper Iowa finished the regular season with a 7-9-2- on the season and was 6-8-1 against NSIC competition.

Minnesota State got things rolling in the first half as senior Korey Kronforst (Cary, Ill.) was able to punch in her first goal of the game at the 4:31 mark.  Junior Kiana Nickel (Wayzata, Minn.) booted the ball up to Kronforst who broke past the Upper Iowa defense and drilled home her 14th goal on the year.  Then, at the 18:40 mark, Nickel lofted the ball up to senior Emily Erickson (Woodbury, Minn.) on the left side who crossed the ball in to the box to fellow senior Jessica Bowe (Anoka, Minn.).  Bowe then made a move and kicked the ball past the Peacock goalkeeper Kaitlyn Emanuel, to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead.  Just under 20 minutes later at 37:31, Erickson played a ball into the box for freshman Morgan Cottew (Minneapolis, Minn.) to finish off the play for the frame's final tally.  

The Mavericks dominance continued in the second half as they peppered Emanuel with 10 more shots on net. The Mavericks capitalized once more in the game as Kronforst scored her second goal of the match off of a throw in by freshman Abby Hausken (Oakdale, Minn.).  Kronforst's second strike of the game broke the All-Time NSIC points mark as she recorded her 106th point against Norther Sun opponents.  The goal also marked a tie for the  All-Time NSIC goals record of 44.  Both records were previously established by Maureen Stormont (UMD, 2011-2014).  Kronforst's numbers now read 44 goals and 16 assists for 106 points against NSIC competition.

At the end of the match, Minnesota State held an advantage in shots (29-14), shots on goal (17-8) and in cornerkicks (5-1).  Minnesota State goalkeeper Lauren Hoeppner (Lakeville, Minn.) ended the game with six saves and fellow Maverick goalkeeper, junior Erin Wren (Hinsdale, Ill.) finished the game with two saves on the day.  UIU goalkeeper Emanuel countered with 13 stops by the time the game ended.  

Hoeppner recorded her 16th win on the year increasing her record to 16-1-1 in 2015.  The senior goalkeeper has now allowed just nine goals in 18 games played over the course of the 2015 regular season with a conference leading .525 goals against average and .901 save percentage.

Minnesota State defended their title as NSIC champions for the fourth year in a row. The No. 6 Mavericks will begin post season play this coming Wednesday as the number one seed in the NSIC Tournament.  The Mavericks will faceoff against the Golden Bears of Concordia- St. Paul at The Pitch in Mankato.  Game time is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.