THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S SOCCER… The Upper Iowa women's soccer program is set to open their Northern Sun Conference schedule with a pair of home matches in Fayette. The Peacocks face off against Southwest Minnesota State University on Friday, Sep. 17 at 2 p.m. on Pattison Field before returning to their home pitch on Sunday, Sep. 19 for a match against the University of Sioux Falls at 12 p.m.

LIVE COVERAGE OPTIONS… Live stats and a webcast for the matches will be available through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE and included with this story. The contests will also stream live on the new NSIC Network app through Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android TV. Search for "NSIC Network" to find the app on your relevant device. Locally, Friday's match is scheduled to be broadcast on KCRG-TV 9.2 while Sunday's match is scheduled to be broadcast on CW 9.3.

DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAM… Upper Iowa will not be printing gameday programs this season. Fans can access the interactive and digital gameday program at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Proograms. The digital programs are available to fans both at our games and those at home listening to or watching the action. QR Codes will also be located around the field to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that game's specific digital gameday program.

TWO AND O(VERTIME)... In their last match, the Peacocks prevailed in a 2-1 double-overtime thriller against the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in Kenosha, Wis. The Peacocks took the lead early after forward Katie Samuels sent a beautiful cross to Haley Ramberg that was put in to give UIU a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. The Peacocks controlled most of the second half as neither team was able to put together a dangerous offensive push. With just under 10 minutes left in regulation, the Rangers earned a corner kick that came into the box and led to a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Natalie Rudrud, but a second Ranger was there to put in the rebound to even the score at 1-1 in the 82nd minute. The Peacocks pushed hard in the 89th minute as Samuels put a shot on goal and UIU earned a corner kick at the 88:52 mark, but the score remained tied through 90 minutes.

Alex Garcia took the first shot in extra time just 10 seconds into the overtime period and continued to apply the pressure as she drew a foul and a yellow card just outside the box at the 91:37 mark that led to a pair of UIU corner kicks. Sasha Lopez got a great look on a shot inside the box off the second corner kick, but it was saved by Parkside. The first overtime period went by without a score despite the Peacocks keeping the pressure on the Parkside half of the pitch for the majority of the period. In the second overtime period, UIU continued their unrelenting offensive attack. Ramberg put a shot on goal at the 101:31 mark that was saved by the Ranger keeper. Not looking to be denied, Toni Powsey delivered an assist to Liv Wildeman on a ball that found the back of the net at the 102:37 mark as the freshman scored the golden goal and secured the 2-1 victory for the Peacocks. The Peacocks finished with a 16-11 advantage in shots and a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal, with a 5-0 shot advantage in extra time. 

The win gave UIU a 2-0 start to a season for the first time since their 2012 campaign, and the Peacocks will be looking to secure a 3-0 record for the first time in recorded program history on Friday.

MANAGING THE MUSTANGS... Southwest Minnesota State University comes into their matchup against UIU with a 1-1 record. The Mustangs claimed a 1-0 win over Black Hills State University to open their season before falling by a score of 1-0 in an overtime loss against No. 24 Missouri Western State University. Redshirt freshman Meghan Harkin lines up in goal for the Mustangs, and the young goalkeeper leads the NSIC with a .477 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. Both marks are just ahead of UIU's Natalie Rudrud, who ranks second among NSIC goalkeepers thus far (.480 and .875). Harkin has been part of a youth movement for the Mustangs that has seen eight freshmen get starts and 11 see action. Forward Alex Lotts leads the Mustang offense with six shots and has scored the team's lone goal this season. Forward Abbey Hoisington leads SMSU with three shots on goal. Lotts and Hoisington return as two of SMSU's top three scorers from 2019. Upper Iowa has a 9-5-2 record all-time against SMSU, but the Mustangs are 2-0 in the last two matches. SMSU secured a 4-0 win over the Peacocks in Marshall, Minn. the last time the teams played on Nov. 3, 2019. SMSU was voted to finish ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

CORRALLING THE COUGARS... The University of Sioux Falls started their season with an 0-3 record in non-conference play. The Cougars have yet to score a goal this season as they have been shut out 2-0 twice and 3-0 in their most recent match before this weekend. USF has seen three players line up in goal as graduate student Alexis Wemhoff started the first two matches and allowed a pair of goals in each of the first halves of the matches before being replaced in each contest. Wemhoff is second on the team with 11 saves. Freshman Caroline Titze leads USF with 12 saves and has only allowed one goal in 90 minutes of play. Titze has played a full half in a pair of games, including a start in their third match. Junior Holli Knudsen has come on off the bench in two matches to record seven saves, allowing no goals in 48 minutes in her first appearance before allowing two goals in her second appearance. Forward Grace Held leads the USF offense with four shots, one of which was on goal. The Cougars have been out-shot by a 75-11 margin in their first three matches, and have allowed 41 shots on goal while taking only five. Sioux Falls is scheduled to play against Winona State University on Sep. 17 ahead of their match with Upper Iowa. The Peacocks hold a 6-2 lead in the all-time series against the Cougars, but USF is 2-0 in the last two matchups. The Cougars claimed a 2-0 win over UIU in Fayette the last time the teams played on Nov. 1, 2019. USF was picked to finish 14th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, one spot ahead of UIU.

LOOKING AHEAD… UIU will continue their homestand against a pair of NSIC foes, beginning with a match against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Sep. 24 at 3:30 p.m. and ending with a match against St. Cloud State University on Sunday, Sep. 26 at 2:30 p.m. Fans can cheer on the Peacocks from the stands at Pattison Field in Fayette or follow along via webcast and live stats at UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE.
 

2021 Team Leaders	POINTS	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS	SAVES
UPPER IOWA	Three tied w/ - 2	Three tied w/ - 1	Three tied w/ - 1	Samuels - 7	Rudrud - 7
SMSU	Lotts - 2	Lotts - 1	N/A	Lotts - 6	Harkin - 8
SIOUX FALLS	N/A	N/A	N/A	Held - 4	Titze - 12