MANKATO, MN – In a battle between the highest scoring team in the Northern Sun and the top defensive unit in the league, defense barely won out in the final game of the season for the University of Mary women's soccer team. Forced to overcome an early deficit, UMary's potent offense kept the top-seeded and  2^nd ranked Minnesota State University defense scrambling to the end of a 2-1 Marauders loss to the Mavericks in the opening round of the 2025 NSIC tournament.
 
The Marauders scored the most goals by a Northern Sun team in the regular season with 39. The Mavericks, the 2025 NSIC champion, allowed a league-low five goals in the regular season.
 
Minnesota State, who scored just one less goal that UMary in the regular season, displayed its offensive prowess early with a pair of goals within the first five minutes of play. Cortney Kavacs found the net just 96 seconds into the game and assisted on a Maille Mathis counter at the 4:44 mark.
 
UMary steadied itself and held Minnesota State at bay the rest of the half, despite a 13-7 edge in shots by the Mavericks in the first 45 minutes.
 
Minnesota State took the opening shot of the second half before the field began tilting towards UMary with the Marauders taking the next four shots.
 
The Marauders finally broke through in the 71^st minute. Taking advantage of UMary's first corner kick of the game, Chloe Brand served a ball that deflected off a Minnesota State defender from just outside the goal box straight out to Dina Polanco. The freshman midfielder once again delivered for the Marauders, one-timing the ball off a hop from 15 yards straight out of the right post into the left side of the net.
 
The goal was the ninth of the season for the native of Guatemala. It's the most goals by a UMary freshman since Megan Wilson scored 15 in 2006.
 
Additionally the Marauders 40^th goal of the season broke UMary's NCAA-era single season record for goals scored. The former record of 39 goals was set in 2007 over the course of 23 games as UMary qualified for its lone NCAA tournament appearance.
 
In the 72^nd minute the Marauders just missed on a couple opportunities as a Rachel Gensch shot in the goal box was deflected out of play for a corner kick. The corner generated another opportunity but McAlpine pulled down the Gensch header attempt.
 
Olivia Gardner hammered a shot from 12 yards out to the left of the net that McAlpine left the ground to snare with under seven minutes to play.
 
Gensch then just missed the equalizer with just under three minutes to play. Driving a shot from just outside the 18 that appeared headed into the top right corner of the net, McAlpine leaped and knocked the ball over the bar for another UMary corner kick.
 
Both the Marauders and the Mavericks were credited with seven shots on frame. UMary held a 3-2 edge in corner kicks while MSU had a slight 18-6 advantage in shots. UMary took the 3^rd most shots the MSU defense has faced this season and the 2^nd most shots on frame.
 
In her final game for UMary, Gensch led the squad with seven total shots with three fired on frame. Fellow senior Gardner had three shots and Polanco took four.
 
Kadyn Dilger finished with five saves. McAlpine tied her season-high for saves with six.     
 
UMary, who was making a program record 8^th straight postseason appearance, finished the season 8-7-4. This is the seventh time in nine seasons the Marauders have posted a winning record. Additionally UMary has not had a losing record the last nine seasons, finishing at .500 or better. MSU is 16-1-2 and will host the NSIC tournament semifinal round and championship game.
 
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