THIS WEEK
The Northern Sun schedule opens this weekend with the University of Mary women's soccer team hosting a pair of the top contenders for the league title. UMary opens its 2025 NSIC schedule with a visit from #3 Minnesota State University, the defending conference champion, at 3 pm on Friday, September 19. On Sunday, September 21, at 1 pm, UMary hosts St. Cloud State University. Both games will be played at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND.
 
THE RECORDS
UMary is 2-1-0 overall in 2025… Minnesota State and St. Cloud State are both 2-0-1.
 
2024 NSIC TOURNEY REWIND
The Marauders first two games of the 2025 NSIC regular season come against the last two teams UMary played in 2024. UMary went on the road and defeated SCSU 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Olivia Gardner in the opening round of the NSIC tournament. The Marauders then earned a 0-0 draw at Minnesota State in the semifinals with the Mavericks advancing to the championship game via a 5-3 edge in penalty kicks.   
 
LAST WEEKEND
UMary split a pair of games in the Sunflower State, dropping a 3-1 decision at Emporia State before rolling Washburn 4-0. Dina Polanco scored twice in the first eight minutes of play and All-NSIC forwards Olivia Gardner and MaLiah Burke scored second half goals against the Ichabods, who have reached the NCAA tournament the last two years… Minnesota State earned a 1-0 win at #4 Grand Valley State… SCSU defeated visiting Parkside 5-0.
 
OPPO RESEARCH
Minnesota State is the preseason favorite to win the NSIC title. The Mavericks advanced to the NCAA semifinals last year after winning the NSIC regular season and tournament titles. Sr. D Kiera Laney is the NSIC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year… SCSU is picked to place 4^th in the NSIC after finishing 4^th last year. Ellie Primerano returns after scoring seven goals and tallying 17 points while Ana Spaine leads a defense that has allowed one goal in three games this season.
 
HISTORY LESSON
The Marauders are 1-15-3 all-time against the Mavericks, including a mark of 1-5-0 in Bismarck, ND, and 0-10-3 in Mankato, MN. All three draws have been in playoff games in Mankato with the Mavericks advancing on penalties both times (0-0 in 2009 with MSU advancing 3-2 on PKs, 1-1 in 2019 with MSU advancing 6-5 on PKs and 0-0 in 2024 with MSU advancing 5-3 on PKs). UMary is 0-2-3 in playoff games at MSU. UMary's lone win was a 2019 2-1 home victory over #4 Minnesota State. It was the highest-ranked team UMary has defeated. Hannah Richter scored both goals for the Marauders and Madisyn Waltman made eight saves... In a series that began in 2004, the Marauders are 8-9-2 all-time against the Huskies. Over the last 11 games UMary has a 5-4-2, including a 1-1 draw last fall before taking a 2-1 win in the opening round of the NSIC tournament. Both meetings were in St. Cloud, MN.  

FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
WEEK TWO REWIND
The Marauders split two non-conference games in Kansas against teams from the MIAA. After dropping a 3-1 decision at Emporia State with Rachel Gensch scoring the lone goal, UMary rebounded with a 4-0 win at Washburn University. Dina Polanco scored two goals in the first eight minutes of play, with the second counter coming on a penalty kick. All-NSIC forwards Olivia Gardner and MaLiah Burke scored goals in the second half to seal the UMary win.
 
DYNAMIC DINA
Freshman midfielder Dina (pronounced DEE nah) Polanco has scored three goals in her first three collegiate games, all by different methods. The native of Guatemala scored her first career goal on a free kick in a 2-0 win over MSU Billings. In a 4-0 win at Washburn, Polanco blasted home a shot during the run of play for the opening goal of the day. Shortly after she drew a foul to earn a penalty kick opportunity which she converted for her second goal of the day and third of the season.
 
GOALS BY GENSCH
Rachel Gensch has a goal in each of the Marauders first two games of the season. Over the course of 14 games in her UMary career, the senior forward has five goals and five assists.    
 
CLEAN UP BY ONE
Kadyn Dilger as started three games in goal for the Marauders and owns two shutouts. After making a pair of appearances for UMary as a freshman in 2024, she has started all three games in 2025 and has posted clean sheets in a 2-0 win over MSU Billings and in a 4-0 victory over Washburn.  
 
PACKING A PUNCH
With seven goals in three games, the Marauders lead NSIC teams in scoring with 2.33/game. The Marauders are 4^th in scoring margin at +1.33 goals/game.
 
SEVEN HEAVEN
The Marauders have qualified for postseason play seven straight seasons and eight times total under the helm of head coach Sarah Cook. The seven straight NSIC tournament appearances ties the longest streak in program history when UMary qualified for the postseason its first seven years in the league (2006-2012).
 
EIGHT
After recording a record of 11-4-4 overall in 2024, the Marauders posted double digit wins for the third straight year and own winning record in six of eight seasons and finished with a .500 or better record for the eighth straight season.


DEBUTS
Nine Marauders made their UMary debuts against MSU Billings: Maggie Bono, Chloe Brand, Theresa English, Lauren LaFountain, Addison Massey, Mia Melton, Dina Polanco, Emmy Strobel and Hanna Sutter. Brand was the lone newcomer to earn a start for the veteran UMary squad. Sophomore goalkeeper Kadyn Dilger made her first collegiate start after appearing in two games for the Marauders last season.

102
Marauders head coach Sarah Cook earned her 100^th victory at UMary in the Marauders 2-1 overtime win at St. Cloud State University in the 2024 NSIC quarterfinals and now owns 102 wins. A member of the Marauders Hall of Fame after earning All-American honors three times as a scholar-athlete, Cook is in her 14^th season after taking over leadership of the program prior to the 2012 season. She is the program record-holder for career coaching wins.
 
EXPERIENCE
The Marauders return 18 players from last year's squad, including 11 who earned at least one start throughout the year and six who made 14 or more. Returners with seven or more starts last season include seniors Tara Young (3 years as a starter), MaLiah Burke (2), Rio Spruenken (3), Olivia Gardner (3), Allison Lepp (1), Kira Hockley (1) and Rachel Gensch (1) and junior Kadyn Sharpe (2).
 
CLASS BREAKDOWN
9 seniors/graduates
7 juniors
5 sophomores
9 freshmen
 
ALL-NSIC RETURNERS
The Marauders return four of their six All-Northern Sun players from last season: Sr. D Allison Lepp (1^st team 2024), Sr. F Maliah Burke (2^ne team 2024), Sr. F Olivia Gardner (2nd team 2023, 2^nd team 2024) and Sr. M Rio Spruenken (2^nd team 2022, 2^nd team 2024).

31^st SEASON OF MARAUDERS SOCCER
This is the 31^st season of University of Mary women's soccer. The Marauders took to the pitch for the first time in 1995.
  
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