THIS WEEK
For the first time since Labor Day the University of Mary women's soccer team is back at home. Following six straight road games the Marauders play a pair of Northern Sun contests. On Friday, Oct. 2, the Marauders host Upper Iowa University in a match that starts at 3 pm. UMary wraps up the weekend when Winona State University visits the capital city on Sunday, Oct. 3, for a 1 pm match. Both games will be played at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
THE RECORDS
UMary is 4-1-2 overall and 3-0-1 in the Northern Sun… UIU is 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC… WSU is 3-3 and 2-2. 
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders wrapped up a 4-game road trip with 1-0 wins at both Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State.
 
BINANRY CODE STREAK
The last three Marauders soccer games look a little like binary code. UMary is in the midst of a three-game winning streak, all by 1-0 scores on the road at Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
After six straight games on the road the Marauders are back home for four straight matches in the Capital City. After hosting Upper Iowa and Winona State this weekend, MSU Moorhead (Oct. 8) and Minnesota Crookston (Oct. 10) visit Bismarck during homecoming week.
 
STRONG START
The Marauders are off to a strong start in NSIC play. After opening with a draw, UMary has rolled off three straight wins, all on the road. The Marauders are one of just four teams still undefeated in league play after two weeks/four games. Minot State (4-0) leads the NSIC with 12 points, followed by UMary (3-0-1) and Bemidji State (3-0-1) with 10 points. Augustana is also undefeated (2-0-2) and is 5^th with 8 points.  
 
DEEEE – FENCE
Behind the power of three straight shutouts and four total in seven games, the Marauders lead the NSIC in goals allowed per game (0.71) and goals allowed average (0.68). Friday's opponent – Upper Iowa – is right behind at 0.83 goals allowed/game.  
 
SHUTOUT RUN
The Marauders have posted three straight shutouts, all by 1-0 scores on the road. UMary twice posted three straight shutouts in the 2019 season… the last time UMary posted three straight 1-0 shutout wins was in 2009 against MSU Moorhead (Oct. 10), Minnesota Crookston (Oct. 11) and Bemidji State (Oct. 17).  
 
PIERCE & WALTMAN NAMED NSIC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
A dominant defensive effort by the University of Mary women's soccer team in a pair of weekend wins earned the Marauders a sweep of the Northern Sun weekly defensive honors. Cassidy Pierce was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week and Madisyn Waltman was the NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week following two 1-0 road wins that elevated UMary into second place in the league standings…. A senior center back, Pierce organized a Marauders back line that allowed just nine shots in two weekend games, only seven of which were on target. The Missoula, MT, native's leadership helped limit the University of Sioux Falls to three shots and Southwest Minnesota State University to six scoring attempts… Waltman ensured the Marauders single goal in each game was enough for a pair of wins. The junior goalkeeper from Sioux Falls, SD, was perfect on the weekend and stopped all seven shots on frame taken by the opposition. She posted three saves in the win at USF and had four saves against SMSU. Waltman now owns 21 clean sheets in her Marauders career, third all-time at UMary.
 
HOT HAND
The Marauders are undefeated in Northern Sun play and Hannah Richter is a big reason why, having a hand In all five UMary goals scored in conference play. The first team All-NSIC forward posted an assist and a goal in the 2-2 draw with SCSU She has the assist on the lone goal in the 1-0 win at UMD. At USF she triggered the corner kick that resulted in the game's lone counter. She then scored the lone goal in the Marauders 1-0 win at Southwest Minnesota State… For the year she has two goals and two assists for a team-high six points.
 
21
Marauders goalkeeper Madisyn Waltman posted her 21^st career clean sheet for UMary and fourth this season in a 1-0 win at Southwest Minnesota State. She now ranks third all-time in program history for shutouts. In her third season at UMary, Waltman posted eight shutouts as a freshman. She followed with nine as a sophomore in 2019 to earn All-NSIC second team honors… Kristin Werner is the Marauders career leader in shutouts, followed by Rachel Dietrich (22) and Waltman.    
 
FRESHMEN FRENZY
Freshmen have scored three of the Marauders eight goals this season. Kendra Park has posted two goals and is tied for the team lead in counters with Hannah Richter. Brianna Ramey scored her first collegiate goal – the game-winner - last weekend in a 1-0 win at Sioux Falls.
 
ON THE ATTACK
Junior midfielder Kayla Alcott leads the Marauders in assists and second on the team in points. She has three assists – including a beautiful helper on the game-winning goal at Southwest Minnesota State – to rank 5^th in the NSIC. She also has a goal for five total points. The Ewa Beach, HI, native joined the Marauders from Peninsula College prior to the ill-fated 2020 season and played just three games in the spring.
 
CAPTAINS
The Marauders have named five captains for the 2021 season: seniors Emma Davies, Samantha Guzman, Cassidy Pierce and Hannah Richter and junior Madisyn Waltman. Pierce and Guzman anchor the middle of the Marauders back line. Davies and Richter provide the attack on top. Waltman handles the goaltending duties. Davies, Pierce and Richter are in their fifth year at UMary and Waltman is in her fourth; all four have only played for the Marauders. Guzman is a junior college transfer in her third season at UMary. Richter, Guzman Pierce and Waltman have earned All-Northern Sun honors in their careers.
 
VETS
The Marauders return a veteran squad in 2021 as 13 players from their 2019 playoff team are back. Additionally 17 of the 28 Marauders were in the program last year.
 
ALL-NSIC
The Marauders return four of their six 2019 All-NSIC performers. Hanna Richter earned first team all-NSIC recognition at forward as one of the top scorers in the league. Madisyn Waltman claimed second team honors, Cassidy Pierce earned third team honors and Samantha Guzman received honorable mention recognition after the trio formed the core of one of the nation's best defenses. 
 
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
The Marauders have earned a spot in the NSIC tournament the last three seasons (2017-18-19). This is the second-longest playoff streak for the Marauders after qualifying for seven straight years from 2006-2012.
 
11
The Marauders finished the 2019 regular season 11-4-2. The 11 victories is the second-most regular-season wins for the Marauders during the NCAA era, equaling 2017 and 2011 while only trailing the 14 wins the team posted in 2007. 
 
PENINSULA POWER
The Marauders have two transfers from Peninsula College in Post Angeles, WA, once again this season, senior Samantha Guzman and junior Kayla Alcott. The Marauders also had two Peninsula players in 2019 when Malia Brudvik joined Guzman on the squad. 
 
LCCC CONNECTION
The Marauders have a pair of newcomers from Laramie County Community College this season in sophomore's Jessica Lemmon and Taylor Meyrick. LCCC head coach Nate Ulness is a former Marauders assistant coach and a UMary alumni.
 
27th SEASON OF MARAUDERS SOCCER
Including last year's abbreviated 4-game schedule, this is the 27th season of University of Mary women's soccer. The Marauders took to the pitch for the first time in 1995.
 
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