Unbeaten Bemidji State Soccer returns home for two NSIC matches

The Bemidji State University Soccer team returns to Chet Anderson Stadium with a program-best 12-match winning streak this weekend as it hosts Concordia University-St. Paul and Minnesota State University, Mankato for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match ups. The Beavers open the weekend at 3 p.m. Friday versus the Golden Bears (7-1-3; 4-1-3 NSIC) and wrap it up with a 1 p.m. matinee versus the No. 22 Mavericks (9-1-1; 7-01 NSIC) Sunday.

The Beavers open the weekend of play unbeaten in their last 19 home contests (17-0-2) dating back to Oct. 2, 2016 and are 24-0-4 in their last 26 league matches.

As one of only two undefeated NCAA Division II teams in the country with 12 wins, the Beavers open the week holding down a program-best No. 5 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches national poll and are No. 1 in the Central Region for third straight week.

Last week BSU pushed its record to 12-0-0 overall and 9-0-0 in league play as it went 2-0-0 in NSIC play. The Beavers earned a 3-0 victory at Minot State University behind a shutout from Anna Fobbe and saw a three-goal second half propel the team to a 3-1 victory at U-Mary Sunday.

With 13 goals, BSU’s all-time scoring leader Rachael Norton leads the NSIC and ranks fourth in the nation in goal scoring, while her 2.58 points per game ranks seventh.

BSU is coming off a 2017 campaign during which it compiled an overall record of 15-1-4 and finished second in the NSIC standings owning a 12-0-3 mark in league play. At the conclusion of the regular season, BSU made its ninth consecutive appearance in the NSIC Tournament and earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Under Jim Stone, who is in his 17th season at BSU, the beavers return a roster of 19 including seniors Rachael Norton (20 GP, 14G, 10A, 6GWG, 38 pts), the 2017 NSIC Offensive Player of the Year and all-region selection, and Anna Fobbe, a goalkeeper with a with a career 21-10-2 record to go with 11 shutouts. In addition, reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year, Allyson Smith (20 GP, 9 G, 9 A, 27 pts, 3 GWG) and all-region midfielder Nelson (19 GP, 6G, 4A, 16 pts) are back for 2018, while eight of the team’s top 10 scoring threats are back.