The No. 4 Bemidji State University Soccer team opens the 2018 postseason at 1 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts the University of Mary (8-7-2; 7-6-2 NSIC) at Chet Anderson Stadium. The regular-season champion and top-seeded Beavers host the No. 8 seeded Marauders for a right to advance to the NSIC semifinal. Tune in to 1300 KPMI AM The Legends beginning at 12:30 p.m. for the pregame show.

After their best finish in 22 years of NSIC league membership, the Beavers make their 10th consecutive appearance in the conference tournament and host the first round for the third 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 14 of 17 seasons.

Stone-coached teams at BSU are 4-13-2 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.

The Beavers open the tournament riding an 18-match unbeaten streak (17-0-1), and a hope to take advantage of home pitch advantage. BSU has not lost a match at Chet Anderson Stadium in more than two seasons, which includes a NSIC quarterfinal 3-2 win over Winona State University a year ago. Dating back 23 matches to Oct. 2, 2016, the Beavers 21-0-2 at home and since moving their home to the turf at Chet Anderson Stadium for the 2013 season, BSU is 43-9-2 (.815).

As one of only five unbeaten NCAA Division II teams in the country, the Beavers open the week holding down a spot in the United Soccer Coaches national for the eighth consecutive week. This week BSU sits at No. 4, while they are No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Central Regional poll.

Last week BSU pushed its record to 17-0-1 overall and 14-0-1 in league play as it went 2-0-0 versus NSIC competition. The Beavers earned a 4-0 victory over MSU Moorhead behind a five-point afternoon from the league’s top scorer, Rachael Norton. The senior and reigning NSIC Offensive Player of the Week added the lone goal in a 1-0 victory at Northern State University to clinch sole possession of the league championship Sunday. Goalkeeper Anna Fobbe recorded her program single-season-best 10th shutout of the season in the match making two saves.

With 19 goals, BSU’s all-time scoring leader Rachael Norton leads the NSIC and is tied for fourth in the nation in goal scoring, while her 2.56 points per game ranks 10th.

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.

Allyson Smith Pregame Player Pregame

Jim Stone Postgame postgame

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