What's on Tap: The No. 3 Minnesota State soccer team will return to Mankato, Minn., for its first two NSIC home matches this season. The Mavericks face Minnesota Duluth on Friday at 3:00 p.m., and then St. Cloud State at 1:00 p.m., on Sunday. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the White Out match on Friday and then come out to support the Pediatric Cancer Awareness match on Sunday with autographs following.

Looking Back at Last Week: The Mavericks improved their record to 5-0-0, 2-0-0 NSIC with a pair of road victories. MSU defeated Winona State 3-0 and then Upper Iowa 6-0, to be the only NSIC team to start the conference season 2-0.
 
The Mavericks scored two goals in the first half and one in the second half to take the 3-0 win over the Warriors. Sophomore Brynn Desens netted her third goal of the season in the fourth minute of action, which is tied for the team lead. Senior Alesha Duccini scored her first goal on the season in the 27th minute. Senior Dakota Wendell scored the second half goal in the 83rd minute for her second goal of the season.

Minnesota State put six goals on the scoreboard, three in each half, to win 6-0 over Upper Iowa. Sophomore Nadia Lowery scored her first goal of the season 30 seconds into the match, Duccini scored her second goal on the weekend in the 41st minute and freshman Allie Williams scored her second goal of the season in the 43rd minute in the first half. Wendell tied the team lead with three goals on the season in the 52nd minute, while junior Danielle Tazic scored the last two goals in the 69th and 77th minute for her first multi-goal match in her career.

Senior Alexa Rabune (5-0) has yet to allow a goal this season by picking up her fourth sole shutout and a combined shutout last weekend. Freshman Mackenzie Rath made her Maverick debut in the second half against UIU and did not allow a goal. Rabune made four saves against WSU and then two against UIU, while Rath also made two saves against UIU.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week: Alesha Duccini earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Maverick defense, as a defensive midfielder, to two more shutouts. The five straight shutouts to open the season is the most in Minnesota State history, passing the 2014 squad who had four. Duccini and the Maverick defense held opponents to 15 total shots with nine of them being on net. Duccini also produced offensively, scoring her first two goals of the season on the weekend.

NCAA Statistics: Early on in the season, MSU is first in the nation at 0.00 goals-against average and ninth is scoring offense at 3.60 goals per game. Brynn Desens leads the country with her six assists on the season and Alexa Rabune is also leading the country with a 0.00 goals-against average and a 1.000 save percentage.

Scouting Minnesota Duluth: The Bulldogs have started off the 2019 season 3-2-0, 1-1-0 NSIC. Last weekend, UMD defeated Minnesota Crookston 4-0 and then fell to Bemidji State 2-1. 

Senior Emily Hinz currently leads the Bulldogs in goals and points, scoring four goals with an assist for nine points. Sophomore Sophia Grenz has made all five starts so far this season going 3-2 record with a 1.44 goals-against average, .708 save percentage, 17 saves and two shutouts. 

Facing Minnesota Duluth: The Mavericks have a 21-8-4 record against the Bulldogs. MSU won their meeting last season in Duluth, Minn., 1-0 over UMD. 

Scouting St. Cloud State: The Huskies have started off the 2019 season 2-1-2, 1-0-1 NSIC. Last weekend, SCSU played Bemidji State to a scoreless tie in two overtimes before defeating Minnesota Crookston 2-0. 
                           
Junior Tatyana Gusakow has scored two goals so far this season, leading the team, while primarily coming off the bench. Sophomore Zoe Welsh has started all five matches this season going 2-1-2 with a 0.73 goals-against average, .862 save percentage, 25 saves and three shutouts.

Facing St. Cloud State: The Mavericks have a 25-6-2 record against the Huskies. MSU and SCSU tied in the match-up last season 1-1 in St. Cloud, Minn.

Looking Ahead: The Mavericks will hit the road against for a pair of NSIC matches against U-Mary on Oct. 4 at 3:00 p.m., in Bismark, N.D., and Minot State on Oct. 6 at 12:00 p.m., in Minot, N.D.