The Bemidji State University soccer team will hit the road for three matches this week in search of its first win of 2014. BSU (0-1-0) opens the road swing with its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener at University of Minnesota Crookston, at 4 p.m. Sept. 4 Following their date with UMC, the Beavers close out the non-conference portion of their schedule with a pair of matches at Missouri Western State University, at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 and Northwest Missouri State, at noon Sept. 14.

Scouting Bemidji State

Bemidji State opened its 2014 season Sunday with a 3-1 loss against South Dakota State University. BSU jumped on the NCAA Division I Jackrabbits early with a goal from Rachel Scheller (M/D, Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.), but SDSU answered with three first-half goals to spoil BSU’s opener.

Catherine Arneson (GK, Fr., Fort Collins, Col.) took the loss at SDSU after allowing two goals in 32:56 minutes of action. Arneson made three saves in her debut. Senior Sonja Barr (GK, Duluth, Minn.) saw 57:04 in relief of Arneso. Barr made five saves and allowed one goal in her 2014 debut.

Scouting the Opponents

Minnesota Crookston kicked of its 2014 season with an 8-0 win over Finlandia University. Junior Courtney Amborst led the Golden Eagles with three second-half goals en route to the win. Sophomore Lexie Gauger backstops UMC’s defense in goal. Gauger posted a 1.31 goals against average, .806 save percentage and four shutouts as a freshman last season.

Missouri Western State has enjoyed success thus far in 2014 as the Griffons are 2-0 for the first time in program history and have already matched their win total from all of 2013 (2-14-2). Brittany Mueller and K.C. Ramsell, who each have a goal and an assist this season, lead MWSU’s offense. Defensively, Sarah Lyle has been in net for every minute of MWSU’s season. Lyle is 2-0-0 with nine saves in 191:07 minutes of action.

Like MWSU, Northwest Missouri State is 2-0 in 2014. The Bearcats knocked off fellow NSIC teams, Northern State University and Minnesota State University, Moorhead to scores of 2-0 and 6-0, respectively. Anna Holden, Crystal McElhose and Jessica Spradley each have two goals this season spearhead the Bearcats’ offense. Goalkeeper Ashley Malloy has both wins for the Bearcats and has made six saves.

Series Notes

Bemidji State has won 16 straight matches against the Golden Eagles including a 1-0 win last season in Bemidji, Minn. The Beavers are 18-5-1 all-time versus UMC and 10-3 in Crookston, Minn.

The Beavers knocked off the Griffons, 2-0, in their only previous meeting, and that was last season. It was also the first match for the BSU soccer team at Chet Anderson Stadium.

Sunday’s matchup between the Beavers and the Bearcats will be the first ever meeting between the two institutions.

Up Next…

Following their three matches this week, the Beavers head west to North Dakota for a pair of conference tilts against University of Mary (Sept. 20) and Minot State University (Sept. 21).