THIS WEEK
In a match paramount to postseason seeding for both teams, the University of Mary women's soccer team wraps up the 2024 regular season with a home game against Northern State University on Thursday, November 7. The Marauders and the Wolves kick off at 5 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
CLINCHED
The Marauders clinched a spot in the Northern Sun tournament with the 2-0 win over Sioux Falls on Sunday. This is the 7^th straight season UMary has qualified for the NSIC playoffs. The NSIC tournament starts Monday, November 11, at the sight of the four top seeds. The semifinals are Friday, November 15, with the championship game Sunday, November 17, at the home field of the top remaining seed after the first round of the tournament.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 9-4-3 overall and 7-3-3 in the Northern Sun. UMary is tied for 5^th in the NSIC with 24 points and one game remaining… Northern State is 7-6-4 overall and 6-4-3 (21 points, tied for 7^th place) in the NSIC.
 
ON THE LINE
UMary has clinched a berth in the 8-team Northern Sun tournament for a 7^th straight season but there are still a wide range of seeing possibilities for the Marauders and Northern State University:

• A win by UMary over NSU combined with a loss by Augustana (at SMSU) and/or a loss or possibly a tie by St. Cloud (vs. Minnesota Crookston) could push the Marauders as high as the 3^rd seed in the NSIC
• A loss to Northern State combined with a win by Bemidji State at Minnesota Duluth and a win or draw by Minot State vs. MU Moorhead could drop UMary as low as the 8^th seed
• A loss or a tie by Northern State and a win by Wayne State College vs. Winona State could drop the Wolves out of the playoffs
• The top four teams in the 8-team NSIC tournament field host opening round games on Monday, November 11
• NSIC tournament brackets will be released at the conclusion of all seven of Thursday's games

 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders split a pair of home games. Wayne State knocked off UMary 3-0 on Friday. It was the Marauders first home loss in over a year (1-0 loss to Minnesota State Sept. 22, 2023). The Marauders were 9-0-1 in a 10-game unbeaten streak at home. UMary held the advantage in shots (22-9), shots on frame (9-5) and corner kicks (11-4)… UMary bounced back with a 2-0 win over Sioux Falls on Sunday behind goals by Kendra Park and Rio Spruenken. Molly Fischer made saves on the only two shots UMary allowed to USF in the game.
 
HISTORY LESSON
Over the last 15 meetings UMary is 6-4-5 against Northern State. The last three games were played in Aberdeen, SD, including a 2-0 win over the Wolves in the 2023 NSIC playoffs. The two teams last played in Bismarck, ND, in Octiber21, a scoreless draw. UMary is 4-0-2 at home since 2009.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video found at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
NINE IS FINE
The Marauders own nine shutouts in 16 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 16 games while scoring 21. The Marauders .62 Scoring Margin/game is 5^th in the NSIC. UMary's goals against average of 0.69 ranks 5^th in the league.
 
GREAT 8
After posting 10 shutouts last season, the second-most by an individual in a single season at UMary, senior goalkeeper Molly Fischer has eight 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 (.579), 4^th in save percentage (.833) and 4^th in shutouts per game (.500).
 
98
Marauders head coach Sarah Cook earned her 98^th victory at UMary in the Marauders 2-0 win over Sioux Falls. 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 21 goals in 16 games, an average of 1.3 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 16^th in the NSIC in scoring with 0.63 points/game (three goals, four assists).
 
ON THE ATTACK
The Marauders feature four of the top 16 scorers in the NSIC this season.

• Rachel Gensch is 1^st at 1.22 points/game (3G 5A)
• Rio Spruenken (4G 3A for 11 points) is 14^th at 0.69 points/game
• Olivia Gardner is 16^th in scoring at .63 points/game (3G 4A)
• Maliah Burke (3G 4A) is 16^th at .63 points/game

 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) - TEAM
#10 corner kicks/game (7.38)
#32 Shutout percentage (.563)
#36 Goals Against Average (0.688)
#37 shots on goal/game (8.31)
 
NUMBERS (NCAA RANKINGS) – INDIVIDUAL
Olivia Gardner
#45 Game-winning goals (3)
 
Molly Fisher
#19 shutouts (8)
#29 Goals against average (0.579)
 
 
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.
 
TICKETS FAQ
Fans who purchase tickets online receive a discount over tickets purchased at the gate. Single game adult soccer tickets are $10 plus fees when fans buy online at www.UMaryTickets.com or via the Hometown Fan app. Tickets for seniors (ages 65 and older) and youth (ages 13-18) are $5 plus fees.

• Single game soccer tickets purchased at the gate are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and youth.
• Children under the age of 13 are free when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5.
• Tickets purchased at the gate are CASH ONLY transactions. Debit and credit cards purchases are online only at www.umarytickets.com or via the HomeTown Fan App.
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE.

 
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