Women’s Soccer – The Week Ahead…
 
THE SCHEDULE…
 
UPPER IOWA at CONCORDIA, ST. PAUL – FRIDAY – 10/26/12
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Match
St. Paul, Minnesota – Sea Foam Stadium – 7 p.m.
Live Stats

# 1 MINNESOTA STATE, MANKATO at UPPER IOWA – SUNDAY – 10/28/12
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Match
Fayette, Iowa – Pattison Field – 1 p.m.
Live Stats  
 
THE SERIES… UIU has faced the Golden Bears of Concordia every year since 2004. For UIU, this matchup has been one of the toughest rivalries in the NSIC. Before last season, the Peacocks and the Golden Bears went to overtime to decide four straight regular-season matches. UIU hosted Concordia last season and earned a 1-0 victory at Pattison Field on October 8^th, but the Peacocks are just 3-5 against the Golden Bears in the eight-match series.
There is no doubt the Peacocks have their hands full this weekend with two very good teams, including the number one team in the nation – Minnesota State, Mankato. Yet in the past, the Peacocks have played very well against some strong MSUM squads. The Mavericks own a 2-1-1 record in the series against the Peacocks dating back to 2008. UIU last defeated MSUM back in 2010 at home in a 2-1 victory and last season, the teams tied after double-overtime, 0-0.
 
THE MATCHUP… CU enters this weekend’s matchup with the Peacocks with an undefeated 6-0-1 record at Sea Foam Stadium this season. The Golden Bears were previously winless on the road (0-5) before last weekend’s sweep of two NSIC foes (Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State). CU is currently tied for sixth in the conference standings with its 7-5-1 record in the NSIC. The Golden Bears, who are tied with St. Cloud State and Bemidji State, sit at 8-7-1 overall this year. CU has outscored its opponents 36-30 this year. Friday’s match will feature one of the best defenses in the conference from Upper Iowa and tje second best offense in the NSIC from the Golden Bears, who average just over two goals a match (2.25). Arielle Stimson and Amanda Olsen are tied for the lead in scoring with eight goals apiece. Olsen also has a team-high 11 assists this season. Chloe Moore isn’t far behind with seven goals scored this year. The Golden Bears’ prolific offense trails only Minnesota State, Mankato’s.
MSUM (14-1-1, 13-0) brought its winning streak to 12 games this past weekend with a weekend sweep of Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. The Mavericks need one more win to earn the school record with a 13 wins in a row. MSUM will host Winona State on Friday before traveling to Fayette to face UIU on Sunday. 13 different Mavericks have scored at least one goal for MSUM this season. Nicole Dooher, who has taken a team-high 62 shots, and Brianne West are tied for the lead in scoring with six goals each. As a team, the Mavericks have outscored their opponents, 45-6 this season, but they’re not only a juggernaut on offense. They are tied with UIU for the best defense in the conference as well.  With help from the rest of the MSUM defense, goalkeeper Molly McGough has recorded 11 shutouts this season, including ten in the Mavericks last 11 matches.

RECORD SETTER... Last weekend was a record-setting weekend for the Upper Iowa women's soccer team. The Peacocks tied the school record with 12 victories in a season on Saturday with a win over Wayne State College. UIU then broke the record on Sunday with a 1-0 double-overtime victory at Augustana. The original 12-win record was set back in 2007 – coach Brian Bahl’s first season as head coach. The Peacocks, who sit at 13-2-1 overall, have two more regular season matches this season and have at least one match in the playoffs to expand on their record-setting season.
 
12 AND COUNTING… Junior goalkeeper Amanda Smith is a shut-out machine. Earlier in the year, Smith posted six straight shutouts, and is now currently on another 6-match shutout streak. The Moline, Illinois native has given up only six total goals this season - best in the NSIC - and has started all 16 matches for the Peacocks in goal. Smith has a .909 save percentage and has collected a total of 60 saves this season. Smith will have her hands full this weekend as she and the rest of the Peacock defense take on the top two offenses in the conference.
 
RANKINGS RELEASE… The NCAA released its official regional rankings on Wednesday afternoon and the Peacocks placed sixth in the polls. UIU, which had been ranked eighth in the NSCAA rankings previously, is one of four NSIC teams to make the top-ten list. UIU’s weekend sweep over NSIC foes Wayne State and Augustana gave the Peacocks a school-record 13 victories this season. Brooke Skaggs and Jill Schechinger both scored a goal against the Wildcats in Saturday’s 2-0 victory, while Catherine Bunting netted her first collegiate goal against the Vikings in Sunday’s 1-0 double-overtime win. Click here to view the poll. 
 

Rank	Team	In Region Record	Overall Record
1	Minn. St. Mankato	14-1-1	14-1-1
2	Central Oklahoma	12-1-3	12-1-3
3	Central Missouri	12-1-3	12-1-3
4	Winona State	13-3	13-3
5	SW Oklahoma St.	15-0-1	15-0-1
6	Upper Iowa	13-2-1	13-2-1
7	Minot State	12-3-1	12-3-1
8	Truman St.	11-4-1	11-4-1
9	Northeastern St.	8-4-1	9-4-1
10	Fort Hays State	6-6-1	9-6-1

 

UIU’s UNSUNG HEROS… Every match it seems as if a new face is scoring the game-winning goal for the Peacocks this season. This past Sunday it was four-year starter Catherine Bunting who netted her first collegiate goal in the 103rd minute against Augustana to give UIU the 1-0 victory. One day earlier, it was Brooke Skaggs netting her first goal in 2012 off a cross from Elizabeth Kaluzinski. Skaggs' header in the 39th minute against Wayne State was enough for the Peacocks to earn the victory in Wayne, Nebraska. Trina Gallagher also netted her first collegiate goal for UIU recently. She scored the first goal in a 2-0 victory over the University of Minnesota, Crookston two weekends ago.

2011… Time and time again, the Peacocks have relied on the scoring threats of the 2011 recruiting class. Jill Schechinger, Kali Loescher, Lauren Rohrmeier, Danielle Weiss, Jess Dickhaus, Cat Camic and Kaitlyn Emanuel were all a part of that class, and together, they lead UIU in many important categories. Loescher and Schechinger have become the Peacocks main offensive scoring threats. Together, the two forwards have totaled nine goals and five assists through 16 matches. Loescher and Schechinger hooked up again this past Saturday in Wayne, Nebraska to seal a 2-0 victory for UIU. Rohrmeier has also played a critical role in the offense as a starting midfielder. She has scored twice and she has two assists. Weiss, who is one of the fastest players on the team, has become an outstanding perimeter defender and found the back of the net on a penalty kick earlier in the season against Sioux Falls. Dickhaus has commanded respect in the center-mid position, starting three games for the Peacocks and impressing everyone with her passing ability.
 
COACH’S CORNER… Halfway into his sixth season, coach Brian Bahl has led the Peacocks to a program-best 13-2-1 start, including two 6-match win streaks, both of which are also program records. Overall, Bahl is 62-42-16 in his career at the helm of the Upper Iowa women’s soccer program. 

THE FINAL STAND… UIU’s match against the Mavericks will be the final regular-season home match for the Peacocks at Pattison Field. MSUM enters Sunday’s match as one of the hottest teams in the conference and the Mavericks are riding a 12-match win streak. The Peacocks, who have one of the best defenses in the conference, will try to slow down that offensive attack and earn the upset. The match will have added significance for five seniors for the women’s team and three senior for the men’s. Both teams will honor their seniors after the conclusion of the match, roughly around 3 p.m.