MANKATO, Minn.--- The Minnesota State soccer team continues its conference regular season with two matches on homecoming weekend starting with the University of Mary on Friday at 3:00 p.m. The second match of the weekend will be against Minot State on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. 

Our History: The 2018 season marks the school's 24th season playing women's soccer. The Mavericks are 318-118-36 (.712) in 472 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 121-14-11 (.866) record in 146 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 (5-1-1, 3-0-1 NSIC) went 1-0-1 last week in their two away conference games defeating Minnesota Duluth 1-0 on Friday and tying St. Cloud State 1-1 on Sunday.

Game Winner: Freshman Brynn Desens scored her second game-winning goal of the season Friday in a 1-0 win over Minnesota Duluth. Both of Desens' goals have been game winners this season with her other one coming in a 4-0 nonconference win over Sioux Falls.

Also scoring for the Mavericks last week was senior Julia Zach in the 1-1 tie against St. Cloud State. Zach is leading the team with eight points on the season while tallying three goals and two assists. 

Sophomore Molly Sarafolean picked up her first assist of the season on Desens' goal against UMD. That brings her point total to five on the year by adding two goals.

Junior Alexa Rabune was in the net all 200 minutes for the Mavericks this week. Rabune picked up her third shutout of the season with the win over Minnesota Duluth and only allowed one goal in a two overtime tie to St. Cloud State. That brings her season goals-against average to 0.69, which is a career best.

Homecoming: The past three years Minnesota State women's soccer has played at home during homecoming and during that span, the Mavericks have a record of 5-0-1 on that weekend. Homecoming week runs from Monday, Sept. 24th - Sunday, Sept. 30th this year with the homecoming football game on Saturday, Sept. 29th at 2:00 p.m. 

Scouting University of Mary: University of Mary (3-3-1, 2-2-1 NSIC) went 1-1 last week at home losing to Augustana 1-0 on Friday and defeating Wayne State 2-0 on Sunday. The Marauders are 1-1-1 on the road this season with their only win coming at MSU Moorhead 1-0 on Sept. 16th . All-time, MSU is 11-0-2 against U-Mary, winning the last eight matches.

Senior Caylin Cathey is leading the way in goals for the Marauders, and tied for third in the NSIC, with six goals. Freshman Madisyn Waltman has started six out of the seven matches in net, owning a 0.69 goals against average, picking up 24 saves and two shutouts on the year. 

Facing University of Mary: Last year, Minnesota State went 2-0 against the University of Mary. The first match up came in the regular season when MSU defeated U-Mary 5-2 on the road with current Mavericks senior Morgan Cottew, junior Taylor Kenealy and Sarafolean scoring goals. The second meeting came in the semi-finals of the NSIC Tournament where MSU won 6-0. Sarafolean had two goals in the win with current Mavericks junior Bri Ciaccio, sophomore Danielle Tazic and Kenealy also scoring a goal.

Scouting Minot State: Minot State (4-2-2, 2-2-1  NSIC) went 0-1-1 last week tying Wayne State 0-0 on Friday and losing to Augustana 1-0 on Sunday. The Beavers are 1-1 on the road this season, picking up a 3-0 win over Northern State on Sept. 16th.  All-time, MSU is 4-1-3 against Minot looking for their first win since 2014 over the Beavers.

Sophomore Sofia Lewis is tied for first in the NSIC in points with 17 while tallying six goals and five assists. Junior Erin Rafferty has started in net in eight of the 10 games for Minot making 27 saves, garnering a 0.83 goals against average and posting two shutouts on the season.
 
Facing Minot State: The Mavericks lost their only match-up with the Beaver 2-1 on the road last season in two overtimes. Recent graduate Jenny Hoerter scored the only goal for MSU, but Minot scored in the 106th minute in the second overtime to win it. 

Looking Ahead: The Mavericks continue their conference schedule, beginning a five game stretch on the road starting with Southwest Minnesota State on Oct. 5th at 3:00 p.m., in Marshall, Minn. and Sioux Falls on Oct. 7th at 1:00 p.m., in Sioux Falls, S.D.