Mark Privratsky

We are at the point in the D1 season where everyone is now in their Conference season, all still able to hold out hope for postseason chances. The schedulers at the Summit League have made sure we have plenty of local drama in the first two weekends, with every Dakota school playing at least another one, St Thomas getting their crack at their new rivals, and and early matchup of perennial NCAA Tourney players Denver and South Dakota State. Around the country we've got Maddie Dahlien making goals happen for #1 North Carolina, NDSU players scoring goals in a so far winning season, and tons of players making their presence known in our player stat tracker. Jessie Hunt has officially quantified our first "Equal Time Bump" at Northeastern with her fellow Minnesotan Lauren Ahles riding side car for the Huskies. We've got games to watch, stats on 120 players (and counting) and rivalries to stoke!

​We finally have Summit League action to watch this weekend and it kicks off with Rivalry games. Look no further than SDSU, so open at South Dakota this Sunday at 1pm, before facing NDSU, North Dakota and Denver to get the league started. We should have a good idea of South Dakota State’s postseason potential after the October 5th game in Denver. Jocelyn Tanner, one of the country’s stingiest keepers last year, is anchoring a Defense that will expect to lockout their Dakota rivals in advance of Denver. Among the many Minnesotans pacing the ‘Jacks, Senior Kayla Anderson has 2 goals and 2 assists on the year (including 1 goal and 2 assists in the rout of Green Bay), and is on track to play more minutes than ever up top along with Maya Hansen. As always, Summit League Network is your home for all Summit games.

​North Carolina is once again the #1 team in the nation, and you can’t really argue at this point. Earlier this year they tied a #10 Penn State and beat #24 USC, nothing to sneeze at. Then, they proceeded to beat #8 Arkansas, #10 South Carolina (away) and tie #12 Alabama away in Tuscaloosa. Minnesota Maddie Dahlien has continued her reintegration to the squad, snagging the opening assist in the close 2-1 win at South Carolina. Dahlien was All ACC Freshman Team last year and has built her minutes all season, starting the last 3 games. UNC goes to #22 Virgina this Thursday at 6pm Central on ACC Network. 

NDSU opens the Summit League season at home, hosting the prairie schools Kansas City and Omaha this Thursday and Sunday. The next weekend it gets spicy with a trip to Brookings to face bitter rival SDSU, before heading to new rivals St Thomas on Sunday Oct 1. The Bison boast 12 Minnesotans as the 3rd most MN squad in D1, so it can be difficult to dole out shine. Right now we’ll focus on Paige Goaley (2 goals in last two games), Jess Hanley (1 goal and 2 assist in last two), and Olivia Watson (2 goals, 1 assist in the last 3). NDSU face Kansas City this Thursday, Sept 21 at 6:30pm on Summit League Network.

​Northeastern was .500 in 2021, In 2022 with the help of newcomer Jessie Hunt dropping nation pacing assists all year (as well as another first year to be named), they were 10-6-4. The Huskies have every hope of making another step up this year, part of that being Hunt’s fellow Minnesotan Lauren Ahles (Lino Lakes), who played plenty last year but seems to have found a step up in her Sophmore season. In the last few weeks, Lauren Ahles scored her first ever college goal at UNC Wilmington, and found the net again in a 3-3 draw at Campbell. Nothing has changed this year for Jessie Hunt as she is tied for 4th in the country with 7 assists. Hunt is perhaps our first quantified “Equal Time Bump”, as she had 3 assists in 4 games before our August 29 interview, and has since had 2 goals and four assists in her next five. By the way, Jessie is right behind an INSANE Lexi Missimo’s 15 assists and 12 goals in 9 games at Texas. She *may be going for the silver medal in assists this year. 

​Alabama State
Kassandra Schoen - 3 goals, 336 minutes in 8 games
 
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Brisha Musungu - 3 goals, 1 assist, 790 minutes in 10 games
 
Army
Hannah Pohlidal - 6 minutes in 1 game

Auburn
Maddie Lo - 0.00 GAA, 33 minutes played in 2 games
 
Austin Peay
Hannah Zahn - 472 minutes in 9 games
 
Boston College
Andi Barth - 1 assist, 539 minutes in 9 games
 
Brown
Clare Gagne - .36 GAA, 8 saves, 495 minutes in 6 games
 
Denver
Shay Payne - DNP
Megan Prazich - 798 minutes in 9 minutes
​
Drake
Brooke Davies - 286 minutes in 9 games
Delaney Goertzen - 435 minutes in 9 games
Angela Gutierrez - 2 goals, 2 assists in 420 minutes
 
​Florida Atlantic
Mia Sennes - DNP
 
Illinois State
Katharine Ashley - 538 minutes in 7 games
Erica Moline - 87 minutes in 3 games

Kansas State
Rilyn Rintoul - 226 minutes in 5 games

Kent State
Luca Ralph - 214 minutes in 7 games
 
Lipscomb
Lydia Hindt - 1 assist, 410 minutes in 10 games
 
Long Beach State
Katarina Decaroli - 48 minutes, 5.66 GAA in 2 games
 
Loyola Chicago
Amanda Cassidy - 2 goals, 794 minutes in 10 games
Jordan Pascarella - 267 minutes in 4 games
 
Marquette
Chloe Olson - 1.54 GAA, 7 saves, 233 minutes in 3 games
Abby Ruhland - DNP
 
​Minnesota
Sophia Barjesth - 184 minutes in 6 games
Alma Beaton - 17 minutes in 2 games
Sophia Boman - 5 goals, 2 assists, 664 minutes in 8 games
Grace Fogarty - DNP
Abi Frandsen - 1 goal, 692 minutes in 8 games
Khyah Harper - 2 assists, 279 minutes in 7 games
Sadie Harper - 180 minutes in 6 games
Taylor Heimerl - 1 assist, 303 minutes in 8 games
Paige Kalal - 1 goal, 1 assist, 417 minutes in 8 games
Sarah Martin - DNO
Megan Plaschko - .39 GAA, 20 saves, 696 minutes in 8 games
Maddy Raymond - 15 minutes in 2 games
Maddie Shannon - DNP
Kendall Stadden - 16 minutes in 2 games
Jelena Zbiljic - 417 minutes in 8 games
​
Navy
Emma Frommelt - 37 minutes in 6 games
 
Nebraska
Lauren Buzzell - DNP
 
North Carolina 
Maddie Dahlien - 1 assist, 244 minutes in 7 games
 
North Carolina-Ashville
Ava Bjorkman-Tracy - 1 assist, 560 minutes in 8 games
 
North Dakota
Katie Alto - DNP
Sydney Bakritzes - DNP
Jessica Machovec - 21 minutes in 3 games
Avery Toms - 112 minutes in 7 games

NDSU
Paige Goaley - 2 goals, 1 assist, 505 minutes in 9 minutes
Madalyn Grate - 176 minutes in 8 games
Jess Hanley - 1 goal, 2 assists, 571 minutes in 7 games
Kaitlyn Hanson - 240 minutes in 5 games
Kelsey Kallio - 3 assists, 436 minutes in 9 games
Olivia Lovick - 485 minutes in 9 games
Maddie Majewski -47 minutes in 3 games
Izzy Smith - DNP
Ave Stanchina - 1 goal, 1 assist, 272 minutes in 9 games
Mckenna Strand - 513 minutes in 9 games
Loretta Wacek - 1 goal, 1 assist, 422 minutes in 9 games
Olivia Watson - 3 goals, 1 assist, 662 minutes in 9 games

Northeastern
Lauren Ahles - 2 goals, 344 minutes in 9 games
Jessie Hunt - 2 goals, 7 assists in 709 minutes
 
Northern Illinois University
Jordyn Saddler - DNP
 
Northern Iowa
Morgan Barnette - 2 goals, 311 minutes in 9 games
Olivia Bohl - 1 assist, 662 minutes in 9 games
Lauren Heinsch - 4 goals, 2 assists in 9 games
Olivia Knoepfle - 3 goals, 3 assists, 482 minutes in 9 games
Jenna Nyblom - 20 minutes in 2 games
 
Northwestern
Ramira Ambrose - 33 minutes in 4 games
Sydney Panek - 4 minutes in 1 game
 
Notre Dame
Paige Peltier - 68 minutes in 5 games
 
Omaha
Lindsey Birch - 252 minutes in 7 minutes
 
Oregon State
Anna Wagner - 252 minutes in 7 games
 
​Penn State
Kaitlyn MacBean - 2 goals, 438 minutes in 8 games
 
Seton Hall
Ella Conger - 49 minutes in 4 games
 
South Dakota State
Kayla Anderson - 2 goals, 2 assists in 416 minutes
Katelyn Beulke - 1 goal, 1 assist, 232 minutes in 9 games
Lauren Eckerle - 1 assist, 708 minutes in 9 games
Ava Grate - DNP
Maya Hansen - 5 goals, 1 assist, 376 minutes in 7 games
Katherine Jones - 2 goals, 1 assist, 558 minutes in 9 games
Emma Knack - 0.67 GAA, 2 Saves, 135 minutes in 3 games
Jocelyn Tanner - .80 GAA, 21 Saves, 675 minutes in 9 games
 
South Dakota
Brooklyn Bordson - 535 minutes in 9 games
Izzy Quintavalle - 1 goal, 3 assists, 533 minutes in 9 games
 
SIU-Edwardsville
Mary Fetter - 1 goal, 224 minutes in 7 games
 
St Thomas
Abby Brantner - 2 goals, 549 minutes in 7 games
Ella Bryant - 69 minutes in 4 games
Sofia Caballero - 1 assist, 520 minutes in 7 games
Annika Eckroth - 44 minutes in 1 game
Emma Fournier - 1 goal, 219 minutes in 7 games
CJ Fredkove - 1 goal, 67 minutes in 4 games
Jasmine Gates - 3 assists, 364 minutes in 7 games
Olivia Graupmann - 0.00 GAA, 0 Saves, 18 minutes in 1 game
Abby Hoiska - 1 goal, 1 assist, 130 minutes in 6 games
Lexi Huber - 1 goal, 2 assists, 282 minutes in 7 games
Cedar Jorgenson - 179 minutes in 6 games
Molly Knoblauch - 428 minutes in 7 games
Anna Koepke - 136 minutes in 4 games
Sydney Kubes - 409 minutes in 6 games
McKenna Lehman - 42 minutes in 4 games
Bella Meier - 141 minutes in 5 games
Lissa Mizutani - 1 goal, 416 minutes in 7 games
Mariah Nguyen - 5 goals, 429 minutes in 7 games
Kendall Quall - 549 in 7 games
Camryn Rintoul - 1 goal, 545 minutes in 7 games
Olivia Rowe - 1.14 GAA, 34 saves, 612 minutes in 7 games
Tatum Trettel - 10 minutes in 1 game
 
Stetson University
Alexis Smith - 327 minutes in 8 games
 
University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley
Ana Recarte-Pacheco - 2 goals, 480 minutes in 6 games
 
Utah Tech 
Madison Monson - 49 minutes in 3 games
 
Wake Forest
Payton Cahill - DNP
 
Western Illinois 
Emmy Ellington - 629 minutes in 7 games
Rita Moran - 1 assist, 490 minutes in 7 games
 
Wisconsin
Dara Adringa - 77 minutes in 8 games
Maddie Ishaug - 1 assist, 798 minutes in 9 games
Kenzie Jacobson - 91 minutes in 7 games
Maddie Poor - 17 minutes in 2 games

Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Clara Broecker - 3 goals, 1 assist, 787 minutes in 9 games
Alyssa Marceau - DNP

Mark Privratsky

Your favorite Minnesota D2 squads have been tested, they've worked out some tactics and are now heading into the gauntlet that is Northern Sun Conference Soccer. Nobody scheduled themselves a tougher start that Minnesota State Mankato, who faced ranked teams away and at home to mostly positive results. Because of a quirk in scheduling (we assume due to the summer loss of Upper Iowa to the GLVC), many of the NSIC teams faced each other in non conference play, which should make for interesting rematches and potentially 3rd game rubber matches in the Conference Tournament. MSU Moorhead, Bemidji State, St Cloud, and MN Duluth all could be even more familiar (too familiar?) by the end of fall. We are delighted to share a highlights package courtesy of Bemidji State, and we say that as a reminder that we will ALWAYS utilize media that teams create for fans "journalists"!. As the Northern Sun kicks off this weekend, your home for EVERY game is the NSIC Network, which you can access via the NSIC Network App or at NSICNetwork.com. Dig into early season game results, games to watch in the upcoming weekends, and highlights of the goings on around the NSIC in Minnesota. 

The Golden Bears have had a mixed start to the season with 2 wins and 2 losses, but they’ve challenged themselves for the NSIC schedule. Losses to UW Parkside of the GLIAC and a solid team from McKendree will hopefully provide the lessons to handle an opening weekend at home in the Northern Sun Conference. Concordia opens on Friday against Winona State at 7pm at Sea Foam Stadium in St Paul. Winona had a solid run last year, they made the NSIC Tournament and certainly believe they can continue their upward trajectory. Meanwhile, Concordia had a solid 2022 but didn’t win as much as they could have, and they’ll look to get revenge on a Winona team that beat them 2-1 last year at home. After that they face Mankato this Sunday at 1pm in a HUGE early season matchup of postseason stalwarts. Equal Time will be on the ground at Sea Foam Stadium, see you there!

​St Cloud started their year with a hallowed tradition for NSIC teams, the UP double road trip against Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan. Unfortunately the beauty of the upper peninsula comes with a caveat of a potential early season trip up. St Cloud took a 3-0 loss at Northern Michigan after beating Michigan Tech 1-0 to end the trip north. However, a unique pair of non conference wins playing UMD and MSU Moorhead may have righted the ship. St Cloud opens NSIC play at 3-1 against UMD at home in Huskie Stadium before traveling to Bemidji State on Sunday. 

​​Bemidji State got a HUGE early season 1-0 win over Minot State and we can tell you for certain because the Beaver Athletics team produced an amazing highlights package! Zoom ins and angle on a few amazing shots from BSU. Check out Freshman Lucy Stanton’s first collegiate goal at the 49 second mark. She started her scoring account with a banger to give BSU a good confidence boost with a non conference win over a NSIC rival (we know it’s confusing). The NCAA Quarterfinalists from last year open NSIC play at Crookston this Friday at 3pm before a matchup with St Cloud State at home on Sunday. A matchup between two squads with certain postseason plans, St Cloud will look to prove they can get a tough result when they need one this year against the top of the Conference. 

​Nobody in the NSIC scheduled a non conference slate like the Mavericks of Mankato did. Minnesota State Mankato lined up #16 Emporia State, #20 Central Missouri and perennial contender Grand Valley State to test their squad early. It likely paid off. The Mavs drew Emporia State away, beat Central Oklahoma at the Pitch in Mankato (thanks to a literal last minute goal from Avery Korsching!), and took a tough 1-0 loss to Grand Valley State in a revenge game from last years win. The team should be battle tested and they’ll need to be, as they open NSIC play with the toughest two weekends in the Conference. They’ll go be at #15 Augustana on Friday, Sept 15, at Concordia St Paul Sun, Sept 17, with the next weekend being away at U Mary and Minot State. How many points can they expect from the first four games? We’ll be on the ground at CSP v MSU Mankato to find out!

(UM Crookston has a whole series of "Get to Know" on their YouTube channel!)

​Brooklyn Fischbach (pictured in the story header) had quite a return to the field this fall, and you can see it in her goal reaction. Fischbach scored a goal against Minot State in a game where Crookston nearly stole an impressive point off the Beavers of North Dakota. She was a field player in 2021, playing almost 1300 minutes, before moving to goal and playing a few games there in 2022. This fall she reminded us why she belongs on the field, scoring in an impressive, 2-1 loss for Crookston. Minot is as stingy a defense as you can face in the NSIC and Crookston nearly found an early season result for the bulletin boards. Crookston opens NSIC play at home vs Bemidji State this Friday at 3pm (stream on NSIC Network). They’ll face Minot in conference play on Friday, October 13. 

Matt Privratsky sits down with Gopher Soccer's star centerbacks Elizabeth Overberg and Jordy Rothwell to talk about their strong performance in the run of play, Overberg's growth during her time in MN, Rothwell's experience with the Gophers after years at Creighton, how they're preparing for Big Ten play, and two pop quizzes on the Midwest and their coaches & players. 

You can watch the show below or you can listen ​to it as a podcast on Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher. Show presented by Pentz Homes (pentzhomes.com) and Modist Brewing (modistbrewing.com)