Northern Sun Conference: MN State Mankato backstopped by keepers McAlpine and Longueville, Bemidji State has potential to build momentum, Concordia St Paul splits opening weekends of NSIC 2-2, and Crookston gets first win since 2022 vs Sioux Falls!

Author: Mark Privratsky

We are early in the Northern Sun Conference season, 3-4 games out of 14 total, but we're already seeing some typical trends from past years. MN State Mankato is rolling with four wins over NSIC contenders U Mary, Minot State, CSP, and Augustana. They have one of the toughest defenses in the NSIC, giving up just 2 goals in 14 games, backstopped by a keeper partnership of Lauren McAlpine and Clare Longueville. Crookston took the ending of their pointless streak one step further and beat Sioux Falls to take a genuine step forward from 2023. Concordia St Paul have mostly won the games you'd expect, but now they'll need to run up some points to solidify their postseason standing with a tough run vs St Cloud, UMD and Augustana. Bemidji State look in good position to rebound from a tough early matchup with defending NSIC Champs St Cloud State with a few easier games. We will dig into games to watch in the coming weeks, recap the results from the past few round of NSIC play, and look back to our interview with past MSU Moorhead Head Coach and Crookston Hall of Famer Christie Kopietz.

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MN State Mankato keeper pair backstops tough Maverick defense

Clare Longueville (Photo: MSU Mankato)

Lauren McAlpine (Photo: MSU Mankato)

#13 MN State Mankato is off to a picture perfect NSIC start. They've gone 4-0 against four likely Conference Tournament foes. Like past seasons the Mavs score plenty of goals, but perhaps more impressively, give up almost none. Through 8 games, they've given up just 2 (scoring 12), and credit has to be given to the split partnership of Lauren McAlpine and Clare Longueville in net. From '21-'23, Mackenzie Rath held down the keeper spot in Mankato and played one of the most accomplished careers that a keeper can in the NSIC. A career that was validated with a San Diego Wave short term contract this fall after showing out for MN Aurora 2 as well this summer. Sophmore Lauren McAlpine (Shoreview) and Senior Clare Longueville (Eagan) have been apart of a lock down defense that allows .25 goals a game, good for 8th nationally. MN State Mankato faces UMD and St Cloud St away this weekend, with the potential to really send a message to the other NSIC contenders if they continue their win streak. The Mavs then have a more favorable run of 5 lower table games to follow, with plenty of potential for momentum to be built. 

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Bemidji State drops big early matchup with St Cloud State,
​has space to build momentum

Madisen Fritel (Photo: Bemidji State)

Bemidji State ended 2023 in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament, having bested NSIC rival St Cloud State in the first round (after 2 other wins in the regular season and NSIC Tourney). The Huskies returned most of last years championship squad, and just over a week ago those players got their revenge for last years losses with a 2-1 win in St Cloud. The Beavers still sit at 2-1 in the NSIC after a lone 1-0 win over Sioux Falls last weekend, and they will have plenty of winnable games coming up. This weekend BSU faces Winona and Southwest MN State at home and would want to get all 6 points. Next weekend its away to Northern State and MSU Moorhead, before a home slate vs Minot and Mary. Bemidji will want to be on solid footing from this middle slate of NSIC games, as they end with Augustana, MN State Mankato, CSP and UMD ahead of postseason play. 

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CSP sits at 2-2 to start NSIC, road trips to St Cloud, UMD and Auggie next

Amaya Ohearn (Photo: CSP)

Concordia had to sneak past MSU Moorhead last sunday to even up their NSIC record at 2-2. It was a win they needed after a tough 1-2 home loss to Northern State, and their urgency showed, putting up a 24-1 shot advantage (15 on goal). Now the Golden Bears need to hope they can convert just a shot or two more a game as they face a challenging stretch of opponents. CSP goes to St Cloud this friday for shot at the champs, and then up to Duluth for a tough matchup with UMD. Next weekend they have to drive to Augustana for fridays game, before heading back to St Paul for a game against a Wayne State squad that is looking competitive early. An early bright spot for the Golden Bears has been Senior Amaya O'Hearn from Wausau, Wis. Amaya has a goal and 5 assists already in 8 games this year, surpassing her previous career totals. Amaya has plenty of teammates to set up, with 6 CSP players having multiple goal contibutions already, including Sammy Ponsonby (4g,1a), Sydney Manthana (3g), Ashley Bennett (2g, 1a) and Sophia King (2g, 1a) and Sophia Haase (2a).

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Crookston beats Sioux Falls, continues to build new culture

Jessica Fischbach (Photo: UM Crookston)

We spend plenty of time talking about NCAA Tournament runs and NSIC Championships, but every year there are way more teams and players that don't get a shiny award for their season than the ones that do. Most teams don't get a ring or trophy for their work, but they find the rewards in growing as a squad and individually, and for accomplishing their collective goals together. After a brutal 2023 where they didn't get a point, UM Crookston is clearly taking their first steps to building a new culture. After breaking the pointless streak against Black Hills State, the Golden Eagles had a respectable 0-3 loss at Bemidji, and a tough 0-1 loss to UMD at home. They came back in a huge way last weekend with a gutsy 2-1 comeback win at Sioux Falls. With plenty of credit to go around, we still have to start with Brooklyn Fischbach. We clipped her two goals below so you can watch the drama and reaction from the players. With Crookston down 1-0 in the 72nd minute, the Sioux Falls keeper hits a punt to mid field, a Crookston player heads it first back into Sioux Falls territory where Brooklyn Fischbach has made the run to goal, and hits it far post past the keeper. Time is running out as Crookston gets a corner with 1 minute left. Who else? Fischbach gets to it first, makes sure to head in down towards goal, and the Golden Eagles celebrate as you'd expect they would. Crookston faces Southwest MN State, Winona St and MSU Moorhead next, in their best chances to get some more NSIC points, before a wild slate of 8 potential NSIC Tournament teams to close the regular season. 

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Equal Time Weekly with Christie Kopietz,
​UM Crookston HOF and former MSU Moorhead Head Coach

ICYMI: Last week we had a repeat guest and now NSIC insider Christie Kopietz to talk about the Northern Sun, coach/life balance and more! Fine a complete archive of all or our shows on our Equal Time YouTube page

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Games to Watch

Friday, Oct 4
UMD vs MN State Mankato, 6pm
St Cloud St vs Concordia St Paul, 6pm

Sunday, Oct 6
St Cloud St vs MN State Mankato, 1pm
U Mary vs Augustana, 1pm

Friday, Oct 11
MSU Moorhead vs UM Crookston, 3pm
Hwy 75 Rivalry Rock Game

Sunday, Oct 13
Concordia St Paul vs Wayne State, 1pm
Minot State vs St Cloud St

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Game Results

Friday, Sept 20
Southwest MN State 1-4 Wayne State
MN State Mankato 3-0 Concordia St Paul
U Mary 1-0 Minot State
Bemidji State 3-0 MN Crookston
Winona State 0-1 Augustana
UMD 1-2 St Cloud State
MSU Moorhead 0-3 Northern State

​Sunday, Sept 22
Minot State 1-1 Northern State
MN State Mankato 3-1 Augustana
MSU Moorhead 0-4 U Mary
MN Crookston 0-1 UMD
Winona State 0-5 Concordia St Paul
St Cloud State 2-1 Bemidji State
Wayne State 1-0 Sioux Falls

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​Thursday, Sept 26
MN Crookston 2-1 Sioux Falls

​Friday, Sept 27
MN State Mankato 1-0 Minot State
Southwest MN State 0-0 U Mary
Wayne State 1-1 UMD
Augustana 1-0 St Cloud State
Winona State 0-1 MSU Moorhead
Concordia St Paul 1-2 Northern State

Sunday, Sept 29
Jamestown 3-0 UM Crookston
Augustana 2-0 UMD
Concordia St Paul 1-0 MSU Moorhead
Southwest MN State 0-1 Minot State
MN State Mankato 2-0 U Mary
Sioux Falls 0-1 Bemidji State
Winona State 2-1 Northern State
Wayne State 0-2 St Cloud State

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