What's on Tap: The No. 25 Minnesota State soccer team will host No. 4 Central Missouri and No. 1 Grand Valley State for its first two regular season home matches this season. No. 18 Bemidji State will also travel to Mankato, Minn., to play UCM and GVSU as a part of a nonconference showcase. Bemidji State and Grand Valley State will play on Friday at 1:00 p.m., with Minnesota State and Central Missouri following at 4:00 p.m. BSU and UCM will then play at 11:00 a.m., on Sunday with MSU and GVSU finishing the weekend beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Looking Back at Last Week: The Mavericks started the season 1-0 with a decisive 6-0 neutral site win over Missouri Southern last Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.
 
MSU scored four goals in the first half with sophomore Cassidy Joyce scoring the first goal of the season two minutes into the match. Sophomore Jenny Vetter scored the next two goals at the 19 and 27 minutes marks for a career high in goals and points in a match. Freshman Allie Williams rounded out the scoring 30 seconds before the half ended for her first collegiate goal scored at MSU.

The Mavericks tacked on two more goals early in the second half with sophomore Brynn Desens scoring less than three minutes after the half began. Senior Dakota Wendell picked up right where she left off last season by scoring the final goal of the day in the 59th minute.

Senior Alexa Rabune finished with her first win and shutout of the season by making four saves throughout the match.

NSIC Players of the Week: Brynn Desens and senior Taylor Kenealy both picked up NSIC weekly awards for their performance on Sunday. Desens earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a goal and collecting three assists for five total points in the match. The three assists are a career high and are tied for second most in a game in MSU history. The five total points are a career high as well.

Kenealy earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week after helping the MSU back line with the shutout and only giving up eight total shots with four being on net. She also collected an assist in the match on Vetter's second goal of the day.

Scoring Machine: Jenny Vetter is a player to watch going forward as a candidate for a breakout season. Vetter scored four goals in exhibition play, including a hat trick, and scored two more goals in the season opener on Sunday.

Scouting Central Missouri: Central Missouri has started off the 2019 season 2-0 with a victory at home and on the road. The Jennies defeated Southwest Oklahoma State 4-3 last Thursday and then beat Augustana 5-1 in Sioux Falls, S.D.                            

Junior Makayla Toth is the returning leading scorer from last season. This season Toth has already scored five goals and collected two assists for 12 points in two games. Sophomore Lindsey Johnson returns as the main goaltender from last season, making 15 starts (11-3-0) and having a 1.59 goals-against average and a .765 save percentage with seven shutouts. Johnson is 2-0 so far this season with a 2.00 GAA and .714 save percentage.

Facing Central Missouri: The Mavericks have a 4-7-2 record against the Jennies. UCM won the last meeting last season in Warrensburg, Mo., 1-0 over MSU. 

Scouting Grand Valley State: GVSU has also started off the 2019 season 2-0 with two home victories. The Lakers defeated Rollins 5-2 and then-No. 6 Lee 3-0 last week.                            

Sophomore Ava Cook returns as GVSU's leading scorer from last season with 24 goals and has three goals so far this season. Sophomore Jessica Radice returns as one the best goaltenders from the national runner-up team after allowing eight goals in 27 starts last season. Radice is 2-0 so far this season with one goal allowed.

Facing Grand Valley State: The Mavericks have a 1-5-3 record against the Lakers. GVSU won the last meeting in 2017 in Allendale, Mich., 2-0 over MSU. 

Looking Ahead: The Mavericks begin their conference schedule with a match in Winona, Minn. against Winona State on Sept. 20 at 6:00 p.m. MSU then travels to Fayette, Iowa to face Upper Iowa an Sept. 22 at 1:00 p.m.