MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State soccer team won by a score of 7-0 against the University of Sioux Falls in Mankato on Saturday. Freshman Morgan Cottew (Minneapolis, Minn.) and junior Kiana Nickel (Wayzata, Minn.) each had two goals to lead the Mavericks in the shutout victory.

With the win, Minnesota State increases its record to 4-1-0 on the season and 2-0-0 in the Northern Sun.  After the match, Sioux Falls' record drops to 1-3-0 on the season and 2-0-0 against NSIC competition.
 
The first frame of action on Saturday featured a surplus of goals scored by Minnesota State.  Nickel led things off, shooting from the top of the box into the left side of the net in the 19th minute.  Cottew followed up scoring the next two markers for her second and third goals on the season. The first was assisted by senior Emily Erickson (Woodbury, Minn.) that broke Cottew away from the Cougar defense, burying the ball into the back of twine.  Cottew's second goal was assisted by junior Maddy Smith (Highlands Ranch, Colo.). Within the next ten minutes freshmen Maddie Raley (Hudson, Wis.) and Marisa Berutti (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) scored their first goals of the season and of their career.  The goals were assisted by freshmen Ali Schilling (Stillwater, Minn.) and Abby Hausken (Oakdale, Minn.).  Capping off the first half was sophomore Jenny Hoerter (Stevens Point, Wis.) when she took a pass from Berutti and drilled it home for her second tally on the season in the 42nd minute

The First half was held in Minnesota State's favor.  The Mavericks led in nearly every category, except for saves.  MSU's advantage in shots after the first stanza was 27-0 and 13-0 in shots on goal.  Senior goal keeper Lauren Hoeppner (Lakeville, Minn.) didn't see any action as she made zero saves on zero Cougar shots in the first half.  Freshman Morgan Perkins (Liberty, Mo.) made a total of seven saves in the first half of play for Sioux Falls.

The second half of play didn't see as much action as the first.  The 11th-rated Mavericks did, however, score the lone and final goal of the match in the first half with Nickel netting her second of the game.  She headed a beautifully placed cross from freshman Bri Lindstrom (Apple Valley, Minn.) who got the ball from a great through-ball by junior Dana Savino (Vanais Heights, Minn.) in the 50th minute.

The final score ended at 7-0 with Minnesota State holding a 20-0 shots on goal advantage and a 13-0 mark in corner kicks.
Freshman goalkeeper Taylor Livermore (Muscatine, Iowa) claimed goal keeping duties in the second half and recorded zero saves on zero Cougar shots.

Hoeppner claimed the win, recording her third shutout in 2015 and increasing her record to 4-1-0 on the season.


MSU will take action tomorrow against NSIC opponent Southwest Minnesota State at 1 p.m. at The Pitch.