BISMARCK, ND – Facing their biggest challenge of the year as postseason fast approaches, this weekend will play a big factor in determining how the University of Mary women's soccer team fits into the Northern Sun tournament. The 6^th place Marauders host first place Minnesota State on Saturday, Oct. 21, and 5^th place Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday, Oct. 22.
 
Game time for the Marauders-Mavericks match is 12 noon on Saturday. The Marauders-Golden Bears tilt on Sunday is a 1 pm kickoff. Both games are set for the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
Including this weekend, four games remain on the schedule for the Marauders, with three at home. UMary is 8-3-2 overall and 6-3-2 for 20 points in the NSIC standings. Ranked 13^th in the country, Minnesota State is 12-1-1 overall and 10-0-1 with 31 points in the Northern Sun. Concordia-St. Paul checks in at 9-4-1 and 7-3-1 (22 points).
 
The top eight teams in the NSIC qualify for the tournament with the top four teams hosting. UMary is four points behind Minot State University – who the Marauders beat in the opening game of the year – and five points ahead of St Cloud State for the last spot in the tournament.
 
UMary closes out the season at MSU Moorhead on Oct. 27 and hosts Northern State on Oct. 29 in the regular season finale.
 
Coming off a three-game road trip, the Marauders went 2-1, including a win over a Minnesota Duluth program for the first time.   
 
The Marauders are off to their best start of the NCAA era, just ahead of the 2007 NCAA tournament team that was 8-5 through 13 games and finished the season 16-7 and won the NSIC tournament.
 
Besides similar win totals at this point in the season, the 2017 and the 2007 Marauders share a similar defensive philosophy. Dead last in the NSIC last year in goals allowed at over 2.5 per game, this season UMary is going up just 0.69 goals per game, the fourth-best mark in the league. The 2007 Marauders gave up 0.74 goals/game.
 
Last weekend the Marauders gave up more than two goals in a game for the first time in a 2-1 loss at Winona Start, as the Warriors tallied with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation. Back to form, though, the Marauders closed their longest road trip of the season with a 2-0 blanking of Upper Iowa.
 
In addition to a strong defense, the Marauders have also developed one of the top offenses in the NSIC. UMary ranks sixth in the conference at 1.54 goals/game.
 
The offense has revolved around several players as three Marauders have at least five goals on the season. Caylin Cathey provided goals early in the season. Megan Lowery then took charge in the middle portion before Jade Smith has shown the golden touch the last few games.
 
In the last seven matches, Smith has scored all six of her goals this season, spread across five matches. She tallied all three of the Marauders goals last weekend and has two game-winning goals. She also has three assists for 15 points. Cathey has five goals and four assists and Lowery six goals and two assists. Smith and Lowery are tied for third in the NSIC in goals and Cathay is eighth. Also Smith is 6^th in points and Cathay and Lowery are tied for seventh with 14 points.
 
In net, Hannah Smith is sixth in the NSIC in shutouts with four. She also has a combined five clean sheets after splitting one game with Karleen Pappert.
 
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