What's On Tap: The Mavericks are set to begin the first of seven NSIC-weekend series this Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday,  No. 11 Minnesota State will take the field vs. the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls starting at 1 p.m.  Then, on Sunday MSU hosts the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs, slated for 1 p.m as well.  Both matches will take place at The Pitch.  

Offensive Prowess:  Minnesota State brings the NSIC's most powerful offence entering this weekends matches outscoring opponents 14-3.  Senior forward Korey Kronforst (Cary, Ill.) is tied for the league lead in points with 11 and Junior midfielder Kiana Nickel (Wayzata, Minn.) is in fourth place with seven, respectively.

Looking Back at Last Week:  The No. 11 Mavericks are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in NSIC matches through the first four contests this season.  Last Thursday, Minnesota State took it to the Golden Bears of Confordia- St. Paul, beating them by a score of 3-0.  Nickel as well as senior Jessica Bowe (Anoka, Minn.) and freshman Maddy Burandt (Mankato, Minn.) each had a netter while Kronforst tallied an assist on each of the goals. On Sunday, MSU squared up against No. 10 Grand Valley State and were held to only one goal.  The lone marker in the 2-1 loss was scored by junior Dana Savino (Vanais Heights, Minn.).  

Scouting the Cougars: The University of Sioux Falls is looking to find some momentum as they enter the weekend 1-2 and having scored just one goal in the first three matches of the seaons. The Cougars currently have a conference record of 0-1 after their first NSIC match of the season last Friday vs. SMSU, losing 0-2.

Head coach Brittany Goosen is in her first year as head coach of the University of Sioux Falls women's soccer program. She began her duties in mid-December of 2014. She served as an assistant coach with the University of Missouri-Kansas City prior to taking the postion at Sioux Falls, and takes over a program that finished 2-15-1 in 2014.  

Inside the MSU vs. USF Series: The meeting between USF and MSU will be the fifth meeting between the two schools with the avericks holding a perfect 4-0-0 record over the Cougars.

Scouting the Mustangs: Southwest Minnesota State is entering this weeks action with a 1-2-1 overall record and 1-0-0 record in NSIC play. Last week the Mustangs played the University of Sioux Falls and beat the Cougars 2-0 while losing to Southwest Baptist 3-2, two days later at home.

Head coach Erin Kasmarik-Mallett begins her first season as head women's soccer coach at Southwest Minnesota State in 2015. She was named to the position on July, 2015.  She becomes the fifth head coach in program history, comes to SMSU after serving as the head boys' soccer coach at Brookings (S.D.) High School for two seasons (2013-14) and has also served as an assistant women's soccer coach at South Dakota State University. She has also coached several club teams in the state of South Dakota since 2010.

Inside the MSU vs. SMSU Series: Mavericks hold a 15-1-1 record against the Mustangs. Minnesota State won the last tilt between the two by a score of 2-0 in Marshall, Minn.

Program History: The 2015 season marks the 21st year of women's soccer as a varsity sport at Minnesota State. MSU claimed its third-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 265-111-27 (.691) all-time record and 70-11-7 (.835) all-time mark in six seasons in the NSIC. MSU has posted 17 consecutive winning seasons dating back to 1998.
 
Between the Pipes:Senior goalkeeper Lauren Hoeppner (right)  has played just 13 games in her career as a Maverick. Within the 13 games the Lakeville, Minn. native holds a 7-1-1 record with five shutouts and a .370 goals against average.

Climbing the Ranks: The Mavericks received 14 first place votes and were picked to finish first in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. View the complete poll on page 5.

Additionally, Minnesota State is ranked 11th in the second regular season NSCAA poll after comining in at #4 in the poll prior to this week.

Stars of the Northern Sun:  Senior Korey Kronforst took home NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors last week for her perfomances against Southwest Oklahoma State  and Central Oklahoma, scoring three goals ans tallying two assists.  Kronforst is tied for the lead the NSIC in points with 11, and Nickel ranks fourth in the conference with seven, respectively.

Taking the Advantage: Minnesota State has outscored their opponents 14-3 thus far and holds a 73-49 advantage in shots throught the first four games of 2015. The Mavericks also claim a 19-7 advantage over  their counterparts in corner kicks and a 14-4 mark in assists.

The Road Ahead: The #11 Mavericks will player their first of two weekend series in a row when they head North to Bemidji, Minn., and Crookston, Minn., next weekend to take on the Beavers at Bemidji State and the Golden Eagles at UM-Crookston. Friday's matchup vs. Bemidji will starts at 7 p.m. followed by Sunday's contest aginst Crookston starting at 1 p.m.