THIS WEEKEND
For the second straight year, the University of Mary women's soccer team advances to the semifinals of the Northern Sun tournament. The Marauders will take on in-state rival and 4^th seed Minot State University in a neutral site match on Friday, Nov. 2. Game time is 2 pm at The Pitch on the Minnesota State University campus in Mankato, MN.
 
NSIC SEMIFINALS
Second seeded Minnesota State University hosts the 2018 NSIC women's soccer tournament semifinals on Friday, Nov. 2, and championship game on Sunday, Nov. 4, in Mankato, MN, at The Pitch on the MSU campus. The Mavericks earned the right to host as the highest remaining seed following the Marauders elimination of Bemidji State, the NSIC regular season champion, in the opening round.
 
Game 1: #2 Minnesota State vs. #3 Augustana | 11 am
Game 2: #8 UMary vs. #4 Minot State | 2 pm
 
NSIC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The conference championship game time is 1 pm on Sunday, Nov. 4, at The Pitch in Mankato, MN. The Minnesota State/Augustana winner faces the UMary/Minot State victor. Winner of the NSIC championship game earns an automatic berth into the NCAA central region tournament set for Nov. 9 & 11 and Nov. 16 & 18.
 
RECORDS
The Marauders are 8-7-3 overall and finished 7-6-2 in the Northern Sun for 8th place with 23 points… The Beavers are 12-4-3 overall and placed fourth in the NSIC with a record of 9-4-2 for 29 points… Minnesota State is 16-2-1 overall and finished 13-1-1 to place second in the NSIC (40 points)… Augustana is 12-4-3 overall and 10-3-2 (32) in the NSIC to claim third place.
 
REWIND
The Marauders advanced to the NSIC tournament semifinals and eliminated conference champion and 4^th ranked Bemidji State University in a shootout (8-7) after playing to a scoreless tie. The Marauders converted seven straight attempts before eliminating the Beavers when freshman goalkeeper Madisyn Waltman made a diving stop in the ninth round.  Caylin Cathey,
Megan Lowery, Sidney Burrell and Caitlin Dooley connected on penalty kicks to knot the shootout at 4-4 entering Bemidji State's attempt in the fifth round. Waltman stoned Emily Kos to keep the Marauders hope alive. After makes by Cassidy Pierce, Kylee Welch, Kacee Bailey and Malia Brudvik to push the Marauders ahead 8-7, Waltman stopped Melanie Peltier's attempt and send UMary to the tournament semifinals… The Beavers held the advantage in shots (24-11), shots on frame (9-5) and corner kicks (11-2) while fouls were fairly even (12-10 UMary)… Both teams had opportunities in regulation. In the opening period with the wind to their backs, the Marauders held a 7-5 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in shots on frame. The Beavers took nine shots in the second, four in the first overtime and six in the second overtime to four total for UMary after intermission. Only seven of those Bemidji State shots found the net, thought, and Waltman was up to the test each time, including a rising shot she forced to glance off the crossbar. Waltman finished with nine saves for her eighth clean sheet of the season. Anna Fobbe posted five saves for her 11th shutout.
 
2018 NSIC TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND
#8 UMary 0 at #1 Bemidji State 0 (UMary advances 8-7 in shootout)… #7 Concordia-St. Paul 0 at #2 Minnesota State 4… #6 Winona State 1 at #3 Augustana 4… #5 St. Cloud State 2 at #4 Minot State 3.
 
MARAUDERS NSIC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Marauders are 4-3-2 in the opening round (wins in 2006, '07, '08, '17 and draws in 2009 and 2017)… UMary is 2-2 in the semifinals (wins in 2006, '07)… The Marauders won the NSIC tournament championship in 2006 and 2007, the first two seasons UMary competed in the conference.
 
2006
1^st round: #5 UMary 1 at #4 Norther State 0… Semifinals: #5 UMary 1 vs. Concordia-St.  Paul 0… Championship: #5 UMary 1 at #1 Winona State 0 (semifinals and championship in Winona, MN)
 
2007
1^st round: #5 Bemidji State 0  at #4 UMary 1 | semifinals: #4 UMary 1 vs. #8 Southwest Minnesota State 0 | Championship: #4 UMary 1 vs. #6 MSU Moorhead 0 (semifinals and championship at Northern State)
 
2008
1^st round: #5 Minnesota Duluth 1 at #4 UMary 2 | Semifinals: #1 UMary 0 at #1 Winona State 1 (OT) 
 
2009
1^st round: #5 Marauders 0 at #4 Minnesota State 0 (MSU advances 3-2 in shootout)
 
2010
1^st round: #7 UMary 0 at #2 Minnesota Duluth 1
 
2011
1^st round: #5 UMary 1 at #4 St. Cloud State 0
 
2012
1^st round: #5 UMary 1 at #4 Minot State 2
 
2017
1^st round: #5 UMary 1 at #4 Minot State 0 | semifinals #5 UMary 0 at #1 Minnesota State 6
 
2018
1^st round: #8 UMary 0 at #1 Bemidji State 0 (UMary advances in shootout 8-7) | semifinals #8 UMary vs. #4 Minot State
 
THE OPPOSITION
Led by five All-NSIC performers, Minot State ranks ninth in the latest NCAA Central region rankings and finished fourth in the Northern Sun. All-NSIC 1^st team choice So. F Sophia Lewis is second in the NSIC in goals (16) and points (39). Hayley Berryman has nine goals and 22 points. In net Erin Rafferty owns a 0.81 goals against average, fifth in the NSIC. The Beavers edged the Marauders 3-2 in Minot in the opening game of the conference season, scoring the lone two goals of the second half to rally past UMary.
 
MATCHUP – PLAYOFF VERSION
This is the third time the Marauders and the Beavers have squared off in the playoffs with the first two games being played in Minot. Minot State won the first matchup 2-1 in 2012 before the Marauders knocked off the Beavers 1-0 last year in the opening round.
 
HOT
The Marauders are 5-1-1 in their last seven games.
 
ALL-NSIC
Three Marauders earned 2018 All-Northern Sun honors. Senior forward Caylin Cathey was named to the second team and senior defender Caitlin Dooley and junior midfielder Kylee Welch claimed third team honors. Cathey (third team in 2017) and Dooley (2^nd team) are repeat selections from last season.
 
FINISHERS
A furious finish to the season by UMary earned the Marauders a slot in the Northern Sun tournament for the second straight year. Sitting 13th in the league standings with six games/three weeks left in the regular season, the Marauders went on a 5-game winning streak to jump as high as 7th place in the standings before finishing eighth in the 16-team league.
 
5 ALIVE
The Marauders five-game win streak was the program's longest since UMary won their final six regular season games in 2012.
 
CLOSE
The Marauders may be the 8^th seed but UMary played the three remaining semifinalists close this season. UMary lost overtime games to both Augustana (1-0 at home) and Minnesota State (2-1 on the road) and held a 2-1 lead at Minot State before falling 3-2.  
 
EIGHT
Freshman goalkeeper Madisyn Waltman posted her eighth clean sheet of the season in the 0-0 draw with #4 Bemidji State. Her other shutouts include 1-0 road wins at Southwest Minnesota State, Sioux Falls, MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Duluth, a scoreless draw with Minnesota Crookston, and 2-0 home victories over Wayne State College and Upper Iowa. She is 4th in shutouts in the NSIC and 6th in goals against average (0.957). Waltman now has the 4th most shutouts by a Marauders goalkeeper in a single season. The single season shutout record is 11 by Kristin Werner in 2004. Rachel Dietrich had 10 in 197, Carley Feiler nine in 2009, and Brannigan Coyle eight in 2007.
 
LOCK IT DOWN
The Marauders defense allows just 9.7 shots per game, the fourth fewest among teams in the NSIC. By comparison, the UMary offense is taking 11.5 shots/game. Only four times have the Marauders allowed more than 11 shots in a game. Additionally the UMary defense has held foes to four or fewer shots on goal ten times and allowed seven or more shots on goal just four times.
 
GOLDEN TOUCH
Caylin Cathey has the golden touch this season. The senior forward has scored seven of the Marauders 20 goals this season. She also has three assists for a team-leading 17 points. Her three game-winning goals ties her with Megan Lowery for the team lead. The All-NSIC player is eighth in the league in goals scored, ninth in points and fourth in game-winning goals.
 
HELPING HAND
Sophomore Hannah Richter has proved to be a dangerous offensive weapon for the Marauders from the back row. The defender from Bismarck, ND, has two goals and four assists. She is third on the team in goals and points (8) and leads in assists. Richer is tied for 11th in the NSIC in assists.
 
TIMING
Sr. F Megan Lowery has been incredibly timely on offense in recent games. In a four-game span – all wins – she has three goals and an assists. The All-NSIC and all-region performer scored the only goals of the game in 1-0 wins over Sioux Falls and Minnesota Duluth, had the winning goal against Winona State and posted an assist on the winning goal against Upper Iowa. For the year she has four goals – three game-winners – and three assists.
 
SENIOR SALUTE
The Marauders feature five seniors in the starting lineup. Midfielders Caitlin Dooley and Megan Lowery both earned all-conference and all-region honors last season. Forwards Jade Smith and Caylin Cathey received All-Northern Sun honors. The fifth senior is Lisa Swärdh, who has two goals and an assist on the season.
 
JUNIOR MINTS
As big as a class as the senior class is with seven players, the junior class is even bigger with eight.
 
A LOOK BACK
UMary finished the 2017 season with a record of 12-5-1 overall, an increase of eight wins from the previous year. UMary was fifth in the NSIC standings and defeated Minot State 1-0 on the road in the first round of the Northern Sun tournament to advance to the semifinals.
 
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