Beavers host Bulldogs with playoff seeding at stake

BSU Women’s Soccer host Minnesota Duluth for final regular season match

The 2023 regular season nears its end this week as the Bemidji State University Women’s Soccer team hosts University of Minnesota Duluth for the regular season finale at Chet Anderson Stadium Thursday, Nov. 2.

The Beavers (8-3-6, 6-3-4 NSIC) will attempt to improve their standings within the NSIC and currently sit sixth in the NSIC standings with 22 league points.

Thursday’s match between the Beavers and Bulldogs will kick-off at 4 p.m. and will be streamed live on NSICNetwork.com/bsubeavers with play-by-play provide by the Beaver Radio Network. The broadcast can also be found on the radio dial at 94.3 FM or online at www.beaverradionetwork.com.

Bemidji State sits sixth in the NSIC standings with 22 league points entering Thursday’s regular season finale.

The top four teams in the standings host the first round of the NSIC Women’s Soccer Tournament and the highest remaining seed will host the semifinal and championship matches.

The Beavers are outside of the fourth seed by one-point trailing Augustana University and University of Mary by one point.

There is just one scenario for the Beavers to earn home field advantage in the first round. BSU would need to earn three points against the Bulldogs and Augustana University and University of Mary to each draw or lose.

If BSU were to draw against UMD and Mary and Augustana each lose, the three teams would tie for fourth in the standings and Augie would earn the fourth seed due to head-to-head tie breakers with the Beavers earning the sixth seed.

Bemidji State can finish anywhere from fourth to eighth in the standings.

BSU welcomes a Bulldog team that is fighting to stay in playoff positioning. The Bulldogs are eighth in the standings with 20 points and hope to stave off Wayne State College who trails by two points.

UMD would guarantee a spot in the playoffs with a draw against the Beavers and a Wayne State loss.

The Beavers are fourth in the NSIC having scored 26 goals in 17 matches while the Bulldogs are third with 27 goals.

Bemidji State is tied for second in the conference with just 13 goals allowed while the Bulldogs are 13th having allowed 26 goals.

The Beavers are led by sophomore Katrina Barthelt who is second in the conference with nine goals while Bulldogs’ forward Jacqueline Jares is third with eight goals. Jares is second in the league with 22 points while Barthelt is third.

Bemidji State junior goalkeeper Edie Frantzen is second in the NSIC with a .765 goals against average and has started all 17 matches for the Beavers.

Minnesota Duluth’s Jennifer Norris is 13th in the league with a 1.56 goals against average in 16 matches.

Bemidji State is 8-16-5 all-time against the Bulldogs but have won the last four matches.