MONDAY
The University of Mary opens the Northern Sun soccer tournament at St. Cloud State University on Monday, November 11. Game time is 2 pm at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud, MN. The Marauders are the #5 seed while the Huskies are the #4 seed.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 10-4-3 overall and finished 8-3-3 in the Northern Sun. UMary tied for 5^th in the NSIC with 27 points. UMary earned the #5 seed over Minot State due to the Marauders win over the Beavers… St. Cloud State is 11-2-5 overall and finished 4^th in the NSIC (8-1-5 for 29 points).
 
1-2-3-4-5-6-7
This is the 7^th straight season the Marauders have qualified for the Northern Sun women's soccer tournament and the 8^th time overall under the direction of UMary head coach Sarah Cook… The seven straight NSIC tournament appearances ties the longest streak in program history. UMary qualified for the postseason its first seven years in the league (2006-2012).
 
ON THE LINE
The winner of the Northern Sun tournament earns a spot in the 2024 NCAA Central Region tournament.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders clinched the 5^th seed with a 3-0 win over visiting Northern State in the regular season finale. Senior Sophia Lange scored her first career goal in the 13^th minute and Olivia Gardner added less than five minutes later. Rio Spruenken scored her 5^th goal this year in the 84^th minute. NSU took just three shots and Molly Fischer saved both attempts on frame for the Marauders 10^th clean sheet of the season. NSU was eliminated from postseason play with the loss.
 
HISTORY LESSON
In a series that began in 2004, the Marauders are 7-9-2 all-time against the Huskies. Over the last ten games the series stands 4-4-2. In the lone meeting of this season, UMary and visiting SCSU played to a 1-1 draw on October 11. Ava Vizenor scored for the Marauders in the 23^rd minute with Brooke Quam pulling the Huskies even in the 75^th minute.  
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video found at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
NSIC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
The Marauders are 10-9-3 all-time in the NSIC tournament. UMary won the tournament its first two times in the league (2006, 2007). In the three draws the Marauders have advanced once, edging Bemidji State in 2018 in a shootout on penalty kicks.
 
2006    
W | 1-0 at Northern State (quarterfinals)
W | 1-0 v Concordia-St. Paul (semifinals at Winona, MN)
W | 1-0 at Winona State (championship game at Winona, MN)
 
2007    
W | 1-0 v Bemidji State (quarterfinals at Bismarck, ND)
W | 1-0 v Southwest Minnesota State (semifinals at Aberdeen, SD)
W | 1-0 v MSU Moorhead (championship game at Aberdeen, SD)
 
2008    
W | 1-0 at University of Minnesota Duluth (quarterfinals)
 L | 0-1 in OT at Winona State (semifinals)
 
2009    
T | 0-0 in 2 OT at Minnesota State (quarterfinals, MSU advances 3-2 on penalty kicks)
 
2010    
L | 0-1 at Minnesota Duluth (quarterfinals)
 
2011    
L | 1-2 at St. Cloud State (quarterfinals)
 
2012    
L | 1-2 at Minot State (quarterfinals)
 
2017    
W | 1-0 at Minot State (quarterfinals)
L | 0-6 at Minnesota State (semifinals)
 
2018    
T | 0-0 in 2OT at Bemidji State (quarterfinals, UMary advances 8-7 on penalty kicks)
L | 1-3 v Minot State (semifinals at Mankato, MN)
 
2019    
T | 1-1 at Minnesota State University (quarterfinals, MSU advances 6-5 on penalty kicks)  
 
2020 (No tournament due to pandemic)
 
2021    
L | 0-1 at Minnesota State (quarterfinals)
 
2022    
L | 0-1 at Bemidji State (quarterfinals)
 
2023
W | 1-0 at Northern State (quarterfinals)
W | 1-0 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (semifinals in St. Cloud, MN)
L | 0-2 vs. Bemidji State (championship game in St. Cloud, MN)
 
NSIC TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Monday, November 11
#8 Wayne State at #1 Minnesota State – 1 pm
#5 UMary at #4 SCSU – 2 pm
#6 Minot State at #3 Augustana – 2 pm
#7 Bemidji State at #2 Concordia-St. Paul – 11 am
 
Friday, November 15 (Semifinals and Championship game hosted by top remaining seed following opening round
Wayne State/Minnesota State winner v UMary/SCSU winner
Minot State/Augie winner v Bemidji State/Concordia-St. Paul winner
 
Sunday, November 17
Championship game
 
BIG 10
The Marauders own ten shutouts in 17 games this season. UMary allowed one goal in the season opener before recording five straight clean sheets. For the season the Marauders have allowed 11 goals in 17 games while scoring 24. The Marauders .76 Scoring Margin/game is 5^th in the NSIC. UMary's goals against average of 0.65 ranks 5^th in the league.
 
NIFTY NINE
After posting 10 shutouts last season, the second-most by an individual in a single season at UMary, senior goalkeeper Molly Fischer has nine this season to her credit and played 80 of 90 minutes in the Marauders ninth clean sheet this season. Fischer ranks 4^th in the NSIC in goals against average (.544), 4^th in save percentage (.842) and 3^rd in shutouts per game (.529).
 
99
Marauders head coach Sarah Cook earned her 99^th victory at UMary in the Marauders 3-0 win over Northern State. A member of the Marauders Hall of Fame after earning All-American honors three times, Cook is in her 13^th season after taking over leadership of the program prior to the 2012 season. She is the program record-holder for career coaching wins.
 
GOAL!
The Marauders are 7^th in the NSIC in scoring, generating 24 goals in 17 games, an average of 1.4 goals/game. 
 
IMPACT
Rachel Gensch has made an impact on the Marauders attack in her first year at UMary. The transfer from Sierra College owns three goals and five assists this season for 11 points in nine games. She has three multi-point games (goal and assist against Black Hills State and MSU Moorhead, goal and two assists against Emporia State). The Rocklin, CA, native is second in the NSIC in points per game at 1.22.  
 
WINNER
Olivia Gardner has posted an NSIC-high three game-winning goals this season. The all-NSIC forward is 15^th in the NSIC in scoring with 0.71 points/game (four goals, four assists).
 
ON THE ATTACK
The Marauders feature four of the top 20 scorers in the NSIC this season.

• Rachel Gensch is 2^nd at 1.22 points/game (3G 5A)
• Rio Spruenken (5G 3A for 11 points) is 13^th at 0.76 points/game
• Olivia Gardner is 15^th in scoring at .71 points/game (4G 4A)
• Maliah Burke (3G 4A) is 19^th at .59 points/game

 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) – TEAM
#11 corner kicks/game (7.29)
#25 Shutout percentage (.588)
#32 Goals Against Average (0.647)
#42 shots on goal/game (8.24)
 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) – INDIVIDUAL
Olivia Gardner
#51 Game-winning goals (3)
 
Molly Fisher
#19 shutouts (9)
#27 Goals against average (0.544)
 
 
SENIORS
The Marauders honored nine seniors on Senior Day, Friday, Oct. 11. The nine seniors are Molly Fischer, Ava Vizenor, Andi Hunsicker, Sophia Lange, Mo Malone, Amélie Faa, Kendra Park, Mary Meeks and Kaitlyn Schwass (Student Manager). Fischer, Lange, Vizenor, Park and Meeks played their entire careers at UMary. Hunsicker and Malone competed three seasons and Faa two after transferring to UMary. Schwass also has been at UMary her entire collegiate career, playing two seasons on the pitch.
 
2024 MARAUDERS NSIC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

• Allison Lepp was named the NSIC Defender of the Week Sept. 16after UMary defeated regional power Emporia Satet 3-0. The defender from Minot, ND, organized a Marauders effort that held the Hornets to three total shots with only two on frame in the win.
• Mo Malone was the NSIC Defender of the Week Sept. 23 after the Marauders defeated Minot State 1-0 and MSU Moorhead 4-0. The Marauders allowed just 15 shots in two games with only five shots on frame (8 and 3 by the Beavers, 7 and 2 by the Dragons).
• Molly Fischer was the NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week Sept. 23 after a perfect weekend in goal, stopping all five shots she faced. She made three saves in a 1-0 win over Minot State and two in a 4-0 win at MSU Moorhead.

 
CAPTAINS
Seniors Mo Malone and Ava Vizenor are the Marauders 2024 team captains.
 
DEBUTS
Making their UMary debuts this season are transfers Rachel Gensch and Allison Lepp and freshmen Maddy Barnick, Maicee Burke, Kylan Campbell, Kadyn Dilger, Siobhan Kaufmann, Bella Kozlowski, Harlee Peltz and Elizabeth Schmidt.
 
2007 UMARY WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM INDUCTED INTO MARAUDERS HALL OF FAME
The 2007 UMary Women's Soccer team was inducted into the Marauders Hall of Fame on Friday, October 4, and honored prior to the UMary win over Augustana. Combining an impenetrable defense with a formidable attack, the 2007 Marauders permanently etched their name in the school's history book as the first UMary team in any sport to qualify for an NCAA tournament. The team tied the school record for wins (16) and won the NSIC tournament for a second straight year.
 
MALONE VOTED NSIC PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mo Malone is the 2024 NSIC Soccer Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The senior defender earned prestigious recognition in a vote by the league coaches. Twice an All-NSIC second team selection, Malone is the first Marauders scholar-athlete to earn NSIC Soccer Preseason Player of the Year honors.
 
The Placentia, CA, native led one of the top defenses in the Northern Sun over the past two years and finished among NSIC leaders in assists in 2023. Malone distributed six helpers – including the lone assist on the only goal in the NSIC semifinal game – to top the Marauders and rank 4th in the NSIC.
 
Malone also scored two goals her junior season, both game-winners. She posted the only counter in a 1-0 win over MSU Moorhead off a corner kick and delivered the winning blow with 52 seconds left on a direct free kick in a 2-1 victory against Concordia-St. Paul. She has totaled ten points on the season and has earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
A United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region 3rd team selection, Malone helped the UMary defense keep 10 clean sheets.
 
GARDNER NAMED UMARY'S NSIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH
Olivia Gardner, one of the most dangerous attackers in the Northern Sun, is the NSIC Offensive Player to Watch for UMary. The junior forward from Winona, MN, Gardner scored a team-leading eight goals in 2023, while also pacing UMary in game-winning goals (4) and points (16). She ranked third in the NSIC in goals and game-winners and eighth in points. Gardner posted the winning counter in each of the Marauders playoff wins, a 2-0 victory at Northern State and a 1-0 win over Concordia-St. Paul in the semifinals.
 
UMARY PICKED 4^TH IN NSIC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Marauders are projected to finish 4th in the 15-team league in the 2024 NSIC Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. Under the direction of Head Coach Sarah Cook, who is in her 13th season at the helm of the Marauders, UMary placed 5th in conference action last year before earning a spot in the title game.
 
EXPERIENCE
The Marauders return 21 players from last year's squad, including 16 who earned at least one start throughout the year and nine of ten players who made at least 10 starts. Returning primary starters include seniors Ava Vizenor (3 years as a starter), Mo Malone (2), Mary Meeks (1), Sophia Lange (2), Molly Fisher (1), juniors Kendra Park (1), Tara Young (2), MaLiah Burke (1), Rio Spruenken (2), Olivia Gardner (2) and sophomore Kadyn Sharpe (1).
 
CLASS BREAKDOWN
9 seniors
8 juniors
6 sophomores
8 freshmen
 
NEWCOMERS
The Marauders welcome ten new players to the squad, including transfers Allison Lepp and Rachel Gensch. The other eight are true freshmen.
 
SEVEN STRAIGHT
The Marauders have now qualified for the last seven NSIC postseason tournaments.
 
30th SEASON OF MARAUDERS SOCCER
This is the 30^th season of University of Mary women's soccer. The Marauders took to the pitch for the first time in 1995.
 
2023 REWIND
The Marauders finished the 2023 season 10-8-3 overall and 7-5-2 in the Northern Sun (5^th place). UMary advanced to the NSIC tournament championship as the 6^th seed, the Marauders first appearance in the league title game since 2007… Mo Malone (D), Eli Olsen (D), Ava Vizenor (M) and Olivia Gardner (F) all earned 2024 All-NSIC 2^nd team honors… Olsen (1^st team) and Malone (2^nd) earned spots on the USC All-Central Region team… The Marauders finished with 10 clean sheets, including two in the NSIC tournament, with Molly Fischer recording all ten. The ten shutouts in a single season is the second-most by an individual player in program history.  Kristen Werner posted 11 shutouts in 2004. Rachel Dietrich also had 10 in 1997.
 
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