THIS WEEKEND
The home weekend doubleheader of the year for the University of Mary women's soccer team is packed with action and activities on and off the pitch. The Marauders will honor their four seniors and the parents and families of all the players this weekend when they host the Upper Iowa University Peacocks on Saturday, Oct. 15 and Winona State University on Sunday, Oct. 16. Both games are set for 1 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
TAILGATE SATURDAY
The Marauders will host a tailgate in the north parking lot of the MDU Resources Bowl prior to the Upper Iowa game on Saturday beginning at 10:30 am.
 
SENIOR SATURDAY
The four Marauders seniors will be honored prior to the Upper Iowa game. The seniors and their parents will be recognized on the field at 12:40 pm. Playing their final season for Mary are goalkeeper Elizabeth Heintzman, midfielder Michelle McGeary, defender Alexis Nahring and forward Megan Searson.
 
A native of Fargo, ND, Elizabeth Heintzman is in her fourth season and majoring in exercise science with minors in coaching and wellness. A goalkeeper, she has played two games for the Marauders. She will be a two-time member of the Northern Sun all-academic team. Liz is also the junior varsity coach and a varsity assistant coach at St. Mary's Central High School and a youth coach with Dakota United.
 
Already a two-time All-Northern Sun performer, Michelle McGeary is a four-year starter who will graduate with a degree in exercise science with minors in coaching and wellness. The Gillette, WY, native is the Bismarck Century junior varsity coach and a varsity assistant and also coaches with Dakota United. The team leader in goals and assists this season with three each, she has tallied 12 times with 15 assists for the Marauders. She will be a 3-time NSIC all-academic performer.
 
In her fourth season with the Marauders, Alexis Nahring has moved into the starting lineup the last two seasons after being a part-time starter her first two seasons. The defender from Ramsey, MN, is majoring in nursing and has played in 59 career games. Lexi will be a three-time Northern Sun all-academic team selection.
 
One of the Marauders top goal scorers the past two seasons, Megan Searson is a forward from Blackburn, England. A four-year starter for the Marauders pursuing a degree in sports science and coaching , she has eight career goals – five last season – and nine assists with three game-winning goals. Megan is a perfect 4-for-4 on penalty kicks. She set an NCAA all-division record for fastest goal scored to start a game when she blasted home a ball just three seconds into a home win over Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 25.
 
PARENTS AND FAMILY SUNDAY
The parents and the families of the Marauders student-athletes will be honored on Sunday prior to the Mary-Winona State game.
 
THE RECORDS
Mary is 1-6-3 overall and 1-5-2 in the NSIC entering the weekend… Upper Iowa is 7-4 and 6-3. The Peacocks are fifth in the NSIC and fighting for home field in the first round of the conference tournament… Winona State is 6-5-1 and 3-5-1, sitting 9^th in the NSIC and two points out of a playoff slot.
 
LAST WEEK
In a split road-and-home weekend series, the Marauders lost 3-1 at St. Cloud State on Friday before earning a 1-1 draw at home against Minnesota Duluth… In the midst of a five-game winning streak, the Peacocks won 2-0 over visiting Southwest Minnesota State and gained a 2-1 road win at Sioux Falls… The Warriors captured two games, defeating visiting Sioux Falls 1-0 to snap a four-game winless streak and gaining a 3-2 win at Southwest Minnesota State.
 
HOMESTAND
The Marauders are in the midst of a three-game home stand, their longest of the year. Mary kicked off the home stand with a 1-1 tie against Minnesota Duluth. After facing Upper Iowa and Winona State on Saturday and Sunday, the Marauders will embark on a four-game road trip, the squad's longest of the year.
 
BACK STRETCH
The Marauders hit the midway point of their Northern Sun schedule last time out against UMD. With eight league games in the books, Mary has seven remaining.
 
ESCALATING UPWARDS
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Karleen Pappert has seen her playing time increase the last couple weeks. After making her college debut with a couple minutes in net to open the second half of the win over Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 25, she played all the second half at Southwest Minnesota State and allowed just one goal in the closing seconds. The Colorado Springs, CO, native picked up her first collegiate start against St. Cloud State in the Marauders next game, a 3-1 loss, and then held Minnesota Duluth to a single goal in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, despite facing 13 corner kicks by the Bulldogs. She had four saves against SCSU and six against UMD and has a 70.6 save percentage.
 
HOME DEFENSE
The Marauders have been outstanding defensively at home outside of one half. In four games Mary has allowed just six goals. The Marauders shut out Minnesota Crookston and allowed one goal to both Minnesota Duluth and Wayne State. All four goals given up to Augustana, including an own goal, came during a 21-minute stretch of the second half.  
 
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