Women’s Soccer – The Week Ahead…
 
THE SCHEDULE…
 
MINOT STATE vs. UPPER IOWA – SATURDAY – 9/22/12
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Match
Pattison Field – Fayette, Iowa – Noon
Live Stats 
 
UNIVERSITY OF MARY vs. UPPER IOWA – SUNDAY – 9/16/12
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Match
Pattison Field – Fayette, Iowa – 1 p.m.
Live Stats  
Live Stream
Listen In 
 
DON'T FORGET... Catch all of the Peacock action for every match with our live stats link listed under each game. Also, for the first time this season, Upper Iowa’s match against the University of Mary will be available to watch online, live! You can live stream the match or simply listen to the contest over the internet. Click here to watch and listen to the match and click here if you prefer to just listen to the match.
 
THE SERIES… This will be the first time in the history of the Upper Iowa program that the Peacocks will face Minot State.
The Peacocks have faced the Marauders much more frequently. The Peacocks are a combined 3-3 against U-Mary over the past six years, but the Marauders have taken the past three matches, each one by a score of 1-0. Peacock coach Brian Bahl is a combined 2-3 against U-Mary.
 
THE MATCHUP… Minot State, with a record of 4-1-1 this year, is led by midfielder Zoe Fisher who has five goals and one assist through six matches. Four of her goals came against MSU Moorhead in the Beavers’ season opener. Emilie Rebelo has helped the Beavers earn a 3-0-1 record in their last four contests, thanks to a goal in each of the their last two matches. Upper Iowa and Minot State are tied for second place in the NSIC with a 2-1 record in league play. The Beavers have the ability to score in bunches and thanks to 33 saves from Marie Torres the team plays solid defense as well. She ranks third in the conference in that statistic.
The University of Mary is 3-2 this season, including a 2-0 mark in conference play. Three players lead the Marauders in scoring with two goals apiece. Ashley Akers and Shelby Buttron have both seen action at the goalkeeping position. The Marauders are allowing just over one goal a game and Akers has one shutout under her belt. U-Mary earned a big victory last Sunday over Sioux Falls in double-overtime, 3-2. The Marauders have won all three of their conference matches so far this season.
 
BEWARE OF DOUBLE-ZERO… Junior goalkeeper Amanda Smith has posted stellar numbers through the first six matches of the season. The Moline, Illinois native has 26 saves in five NCAA matches, which is good enough for seventh in the NSIC. Smith has also been an impenetrable force in the frame. She has only allowed two goals so far this year, which moves her to the top of the NSIC list in that category. She has also gone 320 straight minutes without allowing a goal.
 
MOVIN’ ON UP… Upper Iowa moved up one spot from last week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division II rankings. The Peacocks now sit at seventh with their 5-1 record. See the full list below.

1	Minnesota State – Mankato	4-1-1
2	Southwestern Oklahoma State	6-0
3	Truman State	5-1
4	Central Oklahoma	6-1
5	Central Missouri	4-0
5	Winona State	4-2
7	Upper Iowa	5-1
8	Minot State	4-1-1
9	Nebraska – Kearney	4-2-1
10	Augustana	4-2

TWENTY-ELEVEN… It is always interesting to see how recruiting classes mature and grow. For the Peacocks, the recruiting class of 2011 has been called upon recently. 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 have stepped up for UIU. Loescher and Schechinger have made their offensive contributions, scoring a goal each and feeding others with assists, while Rohrmeier has solidified herself as a starting forward.  Weiss, who is one of the fastest players on the team, has become a solid outside defender, while Dickhaus has commanded respect in the center mid position, starting three games for the Peacocks and impressing everyone with her passes.
 
ALL-NSIC… Senior forward Elizabeth Kaluzinski started the 2012 campaign a little slow, but burst on the scene this past weekend by posting two goals in two matches. The two-time Third Team All-NSIC honoree scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute of Saturday’s match against the St. Cloud Huskies and followed that up a day later with a goal in the 66th minute to earn a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs. Kaluzinski now has 26 goals in her career at UIU.
 
COACH’S CORNER…. A quarter of the way into his sixth season, coach Bahl is 54-41-15 overall. He will face Minot State University for the first time ever this weekend and he will look for his third victory against the Marauders on Sunday. Bahl has not beat U-Mary since 2008, when the Peacocks won 2-0.
 
 FOUL PLAY… The Peacocks lead the Northern Sun Conference with 82 fouls this season, despite being one of the smallest squads in the conference. UIU is averaging just under 14 penalties a match, roughly two more than the next closest team. Don’t be too surprised though, Bahl has always taught his team to play physical, and penalties just come with that mentality. Those numbers should decline as league play begins because a player is suspended a match if they receive three yellow cards or one red card in NSIC play.
 
FEARSOME FOURSOME… UIU posted its fourth shutout of the 2012 campaign, and its third in a row, this past weekend against UMD. Half of that was solid goalkeeping, and the other half was due to the strong play of the Peacocks' backline. Middle defenders Kelsey Taldone and Vicki Booth, along with perimeter defenders Catherine Bunting and Weiss, helped shut down the Bulldog offense and will be counted on to do the same this weekend with back-to-back NSIC matches. Booth and Bunting are both seniors this year - look for them to set the tone of a match for the Peacocks. Also, check out the aforementioned defenders on the gameday handout cover this weekend.
 
PEACOCK POLL… Finally, don’t forget to vote for this week’s poll, which is about women’s soccer!