The NSIC Champion Bemidji State University soccer team opens postseason play Wednesday when it hosts Northern State University in the first round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament. The opening kick between the top-seeded Beavers and No. 8 Wolves is set for 1 p.m. at Chat Anderson Stadium. The winner will advance to the semifinal round Friday at the home pitch of the highest remaining seed.

The Beavers marched through the 2021 regular season with a 16-0-2 record overall, while they were 13-0-2 in NSIC play to secure the second regular-season crown in program history, the right to hold the tournament’s top seed, and host the first round of the event and throughout with a victory in the opening round.

The Beavers make their 11th consecutive appearance in the conference tournament and host the first round for the fifth straight season. Since taking over the BSU soccer program in the fall of 2002, head coach Jim Stone’s teams have made the eight-team NSIC tournament in 16 of 19 seasons, but have never reached the NSIC Tournament Championship match. Stone-coached teams at BSU are 4-14-3 all-time in NSIC postseason play with each of the ties decided by a shootout. Three of BSU’s four postseason victories have come at home.

Bemidji State and Wolves open tournament play locked in a 13-13-3 all-time series, while the Beavers own a 7-2-3 edge in games played in Bemidji, Minn. since the series opened in 1998. As even as the rivalry has been since its inception, BSU has won 10 of the last 11 games between the teams and is 5-0-1 versus NSU on the Beavers’ home pitch since 2008. When BSU and NSU met earlier this season (Sept. 17) BSU edged out the Wolves, 2-1. After a scoreless first half, Megan Hutton scored in the 54th minute to put Northern State in the lead, but BSU’s leading scorer, Sara Wendt scored in the 75th minute to even the score and recorded the game-winner in the 90th minute of play. Both of her goals were assisted by Megan Dahl. Alyssa Stumbaugh made three saves to record the victory in net.

The Beavers enter the week ranked No. 6 in all of NCA Division II. BSU is led by Sara Wendt, who is tied for sixth in the country in goal scoring with a new career-best 17, which includes ranking second in the country with seven game-winning goals. Allyson Smith is second on the team with 18 points on five goals and eight assists, while she has accounted for three game-winners. Newcomer Mason Schilling has netted 14 points (5g-4a) to sit third on the team in scoring. Alyssa Stumbaugh has played the majority of the time (1248:12) in net and is 14-0-1 with a 0.50 goals allowed average and .868 save percentage with seven shutouts. She opens the postseason riding a 363:54 shutout streak. She is second in the NSIC in goals-against average, third in save percentage, tied for third in shutouts, and has backstopped a BSU defensive unit that is second in the league allowing just 0.59 goals per game.

The Beavers are tied for first in the NSIC averaging 2.44 goals per game, while their +1.83 scoring margin leads the league.

Jim Stone Pregame Pregame Coach Interview

Halle Peterson Pregame Pregame Player Interview

Full Game Audio Archive Bemidji State vs. Northern State Soccer