Fourth-seeded Bemidji State opens NSIC Tournament versus St. Cloud State
The Bemidji State University soccer team opens the 2019 postseason at 3 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts St. Cloud State University (11-4-3; 10-3-2 NSIC) at Chet Anderson Stadium. The fourth-seeded Beavers hosts the No. 5 seeded Huskies for a right to advance to the NSIC semifinal.
The Beavers make their 10th consecutive appearance in the conference tournament and host the first round for the fourth consecutive 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 15 of 18 seasons, but have never reached the NSIC Tournament Championship match. Stone-coached teams at BSU are 4-13-3 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.
A year ago, the top-seeded Beavers played the University of Mary to a 0-0 tie after two 10-minute overtime periods. The Marauders then earned the right to advance in the ninth round of the shootout.
The Beavers open the tournament after winning each of its last two matches, and a hope to take advantage of home pitch advantage. BSU has lost a regular-season match at Chet Anderson Stadium in more than three seasons and dating back 26 matches to Oct. 2, 2016, the Beavers are 29-1-3 (.924) at home. Since moving their home to the turf at Chet Anderson Stadium for the 2013 season, BSU is 52-10-3 (.823).
The Huskies have won four straight and eight of their last nine. When the teams met earlier this season, Sept. 20 in St. Cloud, Minn., BSU and SCSU played a 110-minute scoreless draw. BSU goalkeeper Alyssa Stumbaugh turned aside four shots and Emma Reidi made one save to combine for a shutout.
Since the teams first met in 1996, the series is a 9-9-2 deadlock., however, BSU is unbeaten in its last four meetings with SCSU (3-0-1).
Last week BSU pushed its record to 12-5-1 overall and 11-3-1 in league play to complete the final week of the regular season fourth in the NSIC standings. The Beavers earned a 3-0 victory over the University of Minnesota Crookston behind goals from Erin Becker, Sara Wendt and Maggie Cade.
With a team-best 12 goals this season, which includes a team-best five game-winners, Wendt ranks second among NSIC strikers, while her 27 points place her fourth among her NSIC counterparts.
BSU is coming off a 2018 campaign during which it compiled an overall record of 18-1-2, earned its first NSIC Regular-Season title and posted its first NCAA Tournament victory while competing in its second straight national tournament.