THIS WEEK
Northern Sun play begins this weekend for the University of Mary when the Marauders host Highway 83 rival Minot State University. The Marauders-Beavers matchup is slated for Friday, September 20. Game time is 3 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
A home-and-away weekend, the Marauders travel to Moorhead, MN, for a road game against MSU Moorhead. The match starts 1 pm at the Nemzek Soccer Field.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 2-1 overall… The Beavers are 2-0-1… The Dragons are 0-3-1 in non-conference action before they face Northern State on Friday.
 
HISTORY
Since 2010 the Marauders are 5-8-4 against the Beavers with a 3-0-3 record at home. Minot State is 3-0-1 against UMary in the four meetings with all three wins occurring in Minot… UMary is 13-0-3 against the Dragons since 2009, including a 6-0-3 record at home. Last season the two teams played to a scoreless draw in Bismarck.
 
LAST WEEK
UMary rolled past regional power  Emporia State 3-0. Rachel Gensch had a goal and two assists and Olivia Gardner posted one goal and one assist. MaLiah Burke also scored a goal for the Marauders. The Marauders outshot the Hornets 17-3 with a 6-2 edge in shots on frame. Allison Lepp earned NSIC defensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts against Emporia State, which has made the NCAA tournament the last three seasons.  
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video found at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
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.

 
SIZZLING START
Rachel Gensch is off to a tremendous start for the Marauders. The transfer from Sierra College owns two goals and three assists this season with all her points coming in the last two games. She had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Black Hills State. The Rocklin, CA, native followed with a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win over Emporia State. Gensch leads the NSIC in points/game at 2.33 and with seven points total.
 
LEPP NAMED NSIC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Playing in her first home match for the University of Mary, Allison Lepp earned Northern Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading the Marauders to a dominant win over regional power Emporia State University. The defender from Minot, ND, organized a Marauders effort that held the Hornets to three total shots with only two on frame in a 3-0 Marauders win. Emporia State, an NCAA tournament qualifier in the Central region the last three seasons, had scored three goals in each of its previous two games, both against NSIC foes. A graduate transfer from 2022 NCAA Division II national champion Western Washington, Lepp has helped the Marauders post two straight clean sheets, both 3-0 victories. In three games this season UMary has allowed one goal.
 
DEFENSE
The Marauders have allowed one goal through three games. UMary's goals against average of 0.33 ranks 4^th in the NSIC.
 
CLEAN SHEETS
Last season the Marauders posted ten complete 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 in program history.  UMary already has two in three games this season. A senior, Fischer shared the first one with Kadyn Dilger against Black Hills State before playing all 90 minutes in a win over Emporia State… Kristen Werner posted 11 shutouts in 2004. Rachel Dietrich also had 10 in 1997.
 
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.
 
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.
 
SIX STRAIGHT
The Marauders have qualified for the last six NSIC postseason tournaments.
 
TEN
Molly Fischer and the Marauders collected ten clean sheets in 2023, the second most for an individual in team history. Kristen Werner posted 11 shutouts in 2004. Rachel Dietrich had 10 in 1997.
 
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, 2^nd most in a single season in team history.
 
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