WOMEN’S SOCCER – THE WEEK AHEAD…

THE SCHEDULE…
2012 NSIC/ US BANK SOCCER TOURNAMENT – OPENING ROUND
6 SEED - BEMIDJI STATE at 3 SEED - UPPER IOWA – WEDNESDAY – 10/31/12
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Match
Fayette, Iowa – Pattison Field – 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS
VIDEO WEBCAST
AUDIO BROADCAST

THE SERIES… The Upper Iowa Peacocks and the Bemidji State Beavers have met eight different times over the past nine years. BSU holds a 5-3 advantage in the series over UIU, but the Peacocks have won three of the past four meetings between the squads. Back on October 13^th, UIU upset the Beavers, 1-0, in Bemidji, Minnesota. Senior Valeria Ptasinski netted the lone goal of that match in the 17^th minute thanks to an assist from Lauren Rohrmeier.

THE MATCHUP… BSU enters this weekend’s matchup with the Peacocks with a 10-6-2 record, including an 8-5-2 mark in the NSIC. After posting a six-match win streak earlier in the year, the Beavers have totaled just one win over their past six matches. UIU broke BSU’s win-streak back on October 13^th and that started a five-match losing streak for the Beavers. This past weekend, BSU got back in the win column by defeating St. Cloud State, 2-1, before tying the eighth-seeded team in the tournament Minnesota Duluth, 1-1. BSU claims a respectable 7-2 record at home having only lost to UIU and Winona State, but the Beavers are just 3-4-2 on the road this year. Some of those stats could be due to a faltering offense. After outscoring their opponents 20-14 through the first 12 matches of the season, BSU has stumbled recently and the Beavers have been outscored 9-5 over the past six games. The Beavers average 1.39 goals per match, but in total, BSU has been outshot 339-202 this year. Mary O'Brien continues her dominance on offense for the Beavers as she leads the team with 10 goals scored and four assists. Besides O’Brien, seven different Beavers have one or more goals this year.

PLAYOFF BOUND… Quarterfinal action of the NSIC/ US Bank Women’s Soccer Tournament will get underway on Wednesday, October 31^st as the NSIC regular season champions of Minnesota State host eighth-seeded Minnesota Duluth at 1 p.m. Second-seeded Winona State will host seventh-seeded St. Cloud State at 2 p.m., while the third-seeded Upper Iowa Peacocks will host sixth-seeded Bemidji State at 2 p.m. at Pattison Field. Finally, fourth-seeded Minot State will host fifth-seeded University of Mary at 5 p.m. Click here to view the full bracket.

RECORD SETTER... There is no doubt this 2012 Peacock team is one of the best teams to come through UIU since the program was established in the mid-90’s. UIU has set the school record with 14 victories in a season, they have posted two six-match win streaks and this past Sunday they tied the number one team in the land Minnesota State. The Peacocks will look to extend that win record in the postseason and they might even face the Mavericks again if both teams win out and reach the conference championship.

13 AND COUNTING… Junior goalkeeper Amanda Smith is a shut-out machine. Earlier in the year, Smith posted five straight shutouts, four of which came against NSIC foes. But after that streak was snapped by MSU Moorhead and Northern State, she went back to work and recorded a seven-match shutout streak. The Moline, Illinois native has given up only seven total goals this season – a mark that is tied for best in the NSIC - while starting all 18 matches for the Peacocks in goal. She also has a .909 save percentage and has collected a total of 70 saves this season. Smith will try to improve on her impressive numbers against Bemidji State – a team she has already shutout once this season.

RANKINGS RELEASE… Despite Wednesday’s first round of playoff matches all around the conference, the NCAA should still release its regional rankings this Wednesday afternoon. Click here to check the link and be the first to see where UIU falls in the new rankings.

LEADING LADY… Sophomore forward Kali Loescher has really solidified herself as the Peacocks leading scorer in 2012. Loescher’s goal in the 75^th minute of Sunday’s match against Minnesota State pulled UIU into a 1-1 tie with the Mavericks. The Crystal Lake Illinois native now has 12 career goals and seven this season to lead all scorers.

UIU’S UNSUNG HEROS… Every match it seems as if a new face is scoring the game-winning goal for the Peacocks. Last 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 in double-overtime. A day earlier,  Brooke Skaggs recorded 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 two weeks ago, while four different Peacocks scored this past weekend against Minnesota State and Concordia. In all, 13 different players have scored at least one goal for UIU in 2012 and eight of those players have two or more.

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 eleven goals and five assists through 18 matches. 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 this 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 14-2-2 start, including two 6-match win streaks. Overall, Bahl is 63-42-17 in his career at the helm of the Upper Iowa women’s soccer program.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE… Pattison Field has been good to the Peacocks this season. UIU has posted an undefeated 8-0-2 mark at home this year. The Peacocks are also averaging half a goal more per match at home than on the road (2 compared to 1.625). That’s good news for a team hosting the first round of the NSIC/ US Bank Women’s Soccer Tournament.

DON’T FORGET… If you can’t see the action in person on Wednesday afternoon, then join us online as we bring you the video webcast and audio broadcast live! You can also follow along with live stats. Just click on the following links: Live Stats,Video Webcast Audio Broadcast to follow all of the Peacock action live! The Peacock Pregame Show will begin roughly fifteen minutes before the match begins.