MANKATO, Minn.--- The Minnesota State soccer team continues its conference schedule and its five match road stretch with the last three matches of the stretch this week. On Tuesday, Minnesota State will travel to the twin cities to take on Concordia-St. Paul at 7:00 p.m. The next match will be in Crookston, Minn., on Friday against Minnesota Crookston at 3:00 p.m. The last match of the stretch will be in Bemidji, Minn., on Sunday against No. 6 Bemidji State at 1:00 p.m.

Our History: The 2018 season marks the school's 24th season playing women's soccer. The Mavericks are 322-118-36 (.714) in 476 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1995. Minnesota State is in its 10th season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 125-14-11 (.870) record in 150 games during conference play. Over the course of history, MSU has claimed 10 regular season conference championships, including five NCC championships and five NSIC championships. The Mavericks have also won six NSIC Tournament championships in the 10 years of being in the conference. Minnesota State made its 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Mavericks own a 7-8-4 overall record in NCAA postseason play, wining twice on shootout occasions and losing three times.

Looking Back at Last Week: The Mavericks (9-1-1, 7-0-1 NSIC) went 2-0 last week in two road conference matches defeating Southwest Minnesota State 9-1 on Friday and Sioux Falls 1-0 on Sunday.

High Powered Offense: The Mavericks scored 10 goals this weekend, including nine in the SMSU match, with all 10 goals being scored by different players. In the SMSU win, seniors Maddy Burandt (2), Morgan Cottew (4), Julia Zach (5), juniors Alesha Duccini (2), Dakota Wendell (6), sophomore Molly Riley (4), and freshman Kelly Friedrich, Cassidy Joyce, Nadia Lowery all scored. Freshman Brynn Desens (3) netted the only goal in the USF match. The goals scored by Friedrich, Joyce and Lowery were all their first as a Maverick.

Along with scoring a goal, Cottew (6) added three assists in the SMSU game which is a career best in a game. Wendell (4) and Zach (6) also added two assists on the weekend and are tied with the team lead with 16 points. Senior Abby Hausken (3), freshman Caitlin Brown (2) and Desens also chipped in an assist on the weekend. 

Junior Alexa Rabune was in the net for 178 minutes for the Mavericks this weekend. Rabune picked up her fifth shutout of the season with the win over Sioux Falls and only allowed one goal in a win over SMSU. That brings her season goals-against average to 0.62, which is a career best.

Scouting Concordia-St. Paul: Concordia-St. Paul (7-1-3, 4-1-3 NSIC) currently sits in fifth in the NSIC and went 1-0-1 last week on the road tying Sioux Falls 0-0 in 2OT on Friday and besting Southwest Minnesota State 3-0 on Sunday. The Golden Bears are 3-1 at home this season with their only loss coming against Minot State. All-time, MSU is undefeated against CSP going 15-0-0 since 2003.

Senior Brooke Salo and freshman Jena Berkland are leading the charge for the Golden Bears with four goals and an assist for nine points each. Juniors Jordyn  Clark and Emily Nelson have split time in net with the both of them combining for a 0.34 goals against average, picking up 28 saves and seven shutouts on the year. 

Facing Concordia-St. Paul: Last season, Minnesota State won the only matchup with Concordia-St. Paul 1-0 in Mankato, Minn., on Sept. 27. Zach scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute to win it for the Mavericks.

Scouting Minnesota Crookston: Minnesota Crookston (1-9-2, 1-6-2 NSIC) currently sits 15th in the NSIC and went 1-0-1 last week tying U-Mary 0-0 in 2OT on Friday and losing to Minot State 4-0 on Sunday. The Golden Eagles are 0-4 at home this season, searching for their first home win since Oct. 23, 2016 against SMSU. All-time, MSU is undefeated against UMC going 11-0-0 since 1999. 

Freshman Magee Hodgdon is leading the Golden Eagles in points with six while tallying three goals. Sophomore Athena DiMario-Done has started in the last seven matches making 71 total saves, garnering a 2.01 goals against average and posting two shutouts on the season.
 
Facing Minnesota Crookston: The Mavericks won the only matchup last season 4-0 over the Golden Eagles. Junior Taylor Kenealy, and recently departed Jenny Hoerter, Lauren Kizlik and Julia Mixon all scored for MSU.

Scouting Bemidji State: No. 6 Bemidji State (12-0-0, 9-0-0 NSIC) currently sits on top of the NSIC and went 2-0 on the road last week defeating Minot State 3-0 on Friday and U-Mary 3-1 on Sunday. The Beavers are 6-0 at home this year with the last win being against SMSU on Sept. 30. All-time, MSU is 12-2-2 against BSU with their last win coming in 2016.

Senior Rachel Norton leads the NSIC in points (31) and goals (13) while adding five assists. Senior Anna Fobbe has started all 12 games in net while making 45 saves, garnering a 0.52 goals against average and having six shutouts.

Facing Bemidji State: The match ended in a 0-0 tie in 2OT last year on Oct. 1 between the Mavericks and the Beavers.

Looking Ahead: The Mavericks come home for the first time in two weeks for two conference games. On Friday, Oct. 19 the Mavericks will face Northern State at 3:00 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 21 the Mavericks will play MSU Moorhead at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be located at The Pitch.