This Week: U-Mary will be at home this weekend for the first time since Sept. 21 when they fell to 1-0 to Seattle Pacific. The Marauders will take on South Dakota School of Mines and Technology on Saturday Oct. 12 at 3:30 PM at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.

The Records: U-Mary is 0-8 overall and 0-6 in GNAC play. SDSMT is 0-9 overall and 0-6 in GNAC play.

History: Last season Dace Moerkerke's first collegiate goal led U-Mary to its first win of the season. The homestanding Marauders knocked off the South Dakota Mines 2-0.

Game Coverage: The game will be have a video stream and live stats. All game coverage can be found at goumary.com/schedule.aspx?path=msoc

Social Media: You can also follow along with U-Mary general updates on Twitter at @umarysports. Be sure to follow the Marauders' Facebook page as well "Marauder Athletics". You can also follow the team's official accounts on Twitter @umarysoccer and on Facebook "University of Mary Men's Soccer".

SDSMT: This is the first year South Dakota Mines has competed as a part of the GNAC. Competing without a conference in 2012, the Hardrockers finished with a 2-11 record. SDSMT was slatted to finish in 8th place in the GNAC Coaches Poll in 2013. South Dakota Mines returns seven starters from last year and 11 lettermen. Forward Michael McGraw has been the Hardrockers top offensive threat taking twice as many shots (16) as the next player on the team. A 6-3 sophomore, McGraw has played in all nine games and scored three times. SDSMT's goalkeeper, Timothy Tribbett has been kept busy all season leading the country with 6.89 saves per game. A 6-1 freshman, Tribbett has a .689 save percentage.

Think Pink: The Marauders men's soccer team will be wearing pink socks for the month of October to raise awareness for breast cancer. On October 31 against Northwest Nazarene, U-Mary will be holding a breast cancer awareness game.
 

Next Week: U-Mary will remain at home for rematches against Simon Fraser University and Western Washington University, both of which they lost to on the road earlier this season.

Home Sweet Home: The Marauders returned this week from a 12-day four game road trip. During that road trip U-Mary was 0-4. Since joining the GNAC last season, U-Mary is 1-11-1 in conference road games. In that same timeframe the Marauders are 3-5-1 at home.  Over the past two seasons U-Mary has outscored opponents 19-17 at home.

Round 1: In their first season participating in a conference, U-Mary finished with a 4-8-2 record in GNAC play in 2012. The Marauders picked up their first conference win in program history in their GNAC debut against Saint Martin's last year. Other highlights included an overtime loss to Simon Fraser who advanced all the way the NCAA Final Four and 1-1 tie to #9 Seattle Pacific.

From Across the Pond: After having a total of seven international players a year ago, U-Mary has added four more and after graduating one now have a total of 10 foreign players. The Marauders have a total of six players hailing from England in Jack West (Mansfield), Alex Boyes (York), Jordan Pearce (Doncaster), Jonathon Sellars (York), James Liddiard (Lichfield Staffs), and Liam Smallwood (York). Two players from Ireland in Rory Pratt (Dublin) and Adam Potter (Waterford) and two players from Northern Ireland in Aaron Mc Elwee (Sion Mills) and Aaron Brennan (Strabane).

Key Returners: The Marauders return nine starters from a year ago, including three 2012 All-GNAC performers in forward Rory Pratt and midfielder Jonathon Sellars. U-Mary also returns their leading distributors in Adam Potter and Aaron Mc Elwee who had nine assists between them. Joe Wood, a junior midfielder who started 13 games and scored three goals in 2012, will also be a key contributor.

Defensive Leadership: A mainstay in U-Mary's lineup for the past three seasons, senior defender Kyle Roesler will anchor the Marauders defense. Named to the GNAC All-Academic Team in 2012, Roesler has appeared in 48 games in his career including 43 starts. Also a member of the GNAC All-Academic Team, Jake Meyer, who has started 20 career games, will help anchor the defense. 

Fresh Faces: The Marauders have added five freshmen, two transfers and a member of the 2012-13 U-Mary basketball team for a total of seven new players. Among those new faces, junior goalkeeper Jack West and freshman forward Jordan Pearce are newcomers that will make an impact in 2013. West is a transfer from Genesee Community College where he led the team to a National Championship. Pearce will be a welcomed scoring compliment to all-conference forward Rory Pratt.

Pratt: In his first season competing for U-Mary, Dublin, Ireland native Rory Pratt was the catalysts for the Marauders offense in 2012. Pratt had a team-high eight goals and 17 points. Starting all 18 games, Pratt was named 1st Team All-GNAC.

First Blood: After leading U-Mary and being among the GNAC leaders in goals with eight in 2012, Rory Pratt has yet to find the back of the net in 2013.

Coaches Poll: After finishing sixth in the GNAC a year ago, the coaches have tabbed the Marauders to finish there again in 2013. Simon Fraser, who advanced to the NCAA Final Four received seven of eight first place votes and was selected number one.

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