NSIC in MN: Mavericks do more with less (goals), St Cloud in the drivers seat, Southwest MN State gets first win, games to watch, stat leaders and more!

Mark Privratsky

When we're only 3-4 games into Northern Sun Conference play, it can be dangerous to draw conclusions, but it can still be fun to try! Minnesota State Mankato has faced a huge run of 7 games from non conference to the start of NSIC, they've only scored 5 goals, and yet they are winning and ranked #12 (credit to Mackenzie Rath and the team's defending!). Bemidji State hasn't lost a beat, staying undefeated overall and getting a couple good wins over Minot and St Cloud. Meanwhile the two big non Minnesota rivals for the NSIC: Augustana and Minot State, have been tripped up with a couple losses in the first two weekends, a welcome "change" for the Minnesota schools. Playoff hopefuls St Cloud State are off to a 6-2 start and face huge tests this weekend as they host both MSU Mankato and Concordia St Paul. Check out results from the last two weeks, stat leaders, games to watch and more!

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​St Cloud beats Augustana, UMD to mark big NSIC kickoff after missing playoffs last season

Pictured: Elle Primerano, NSIC Offensive Player of the Week

​St Cloud just missed the NSIC playoffs last year and they look dead set on changing that in ‘23. They started conference play with a huge win over another mid table playoff hopeful in UMD, lost a respectable 2-0 game at Bemidji State, before beating Wayne and most notably, beating Augustana 2-1 at home last sunday. That win surely earned the respect of some coaches, as they shot up to #5 in the Central Region Coaches Poll. If they take care of business this weekend, they’ll likely find themselves with national consideration, but that will be easier said than done. St Cloud hosts Concordia St Paul this Friday, who are hungry for points after winning only 1 of their first 4 NSIC games. The Huskies then travel to the nationally ranked Mavericks of Mankato this Sunday (kickoff 3pm), so we should know plenty about how St Cloud State stacks up after this weekend.

Mavericks do more with less (goals), as Rath and team defense shut opponents down

​If I were to tell you that MN State Mankato would score 5 goals in their last 7 games, you’d probably both think I’m crazy and that Mankato must be struggling. On the contrary, this is just a different version of the nationally ranked Mavs than you’re used to. After the murderers row of non conference opponents, they’ve just played about the toughest 7 games they could without yet facing Bemidji State, beating (at the time #20) Augustana in Sioux Falls and dispatching Concordia St Paul away, along with a draw at stingy Minot State. While the offense still needs to find it’s form in conference play, we can tell you a big reason the team is still #12 in the country: defense. Credit the team for an incredible 2 goals given up over 8 games, lead by the 2022 NSIC Keeper of the Year Mackenzie Rath who has an insane .949 save percentage on 37(!) saves. You don’t usually see a keeper on a top team face so many shots, but that shows the schedule this squad has faced. The Mavs face St Cloud and UMD at home this weekend in must see games. 

​Southwest MN State gets first win of the year against a defensive Minot State 

​Wins are hard to come by in the NISC, as are goals scored against Minot State, but the Mustangs of Marshall did both last weekend, winning 2-0 in Minot. Southwest had yet to win a game this year after leading the bottom part of the NSIC table last year with a 3-8-4 in the conference. The path to the postseason will require Southwest to take the winnable games each weekend, as the next two weeks feature Bemidji State and Mankato, but also must win games against MN Crookston and Sioux Falls. After that they face Winona, Concordia St Paul, MN Duluth, and St Cloud State, who all look to be fighting for the postseason.

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SHOW NEXT WEEK

Interview with Jackie Jares of UMD Soccer!

Wednesday, October 4 at Noon on Equal Time socials (best viewed on YouTube and FaceBook, also available on Twitter)

The Senior from Muskego, Wisconsin will talk all things Chemical Engineering, fighting for the postseason in her senior year and more!

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Stat Leaders

With so many good players and teams to cover, it's tough to watch a lot of games. Thus, we have to trust in stats to highlight players! This week it's points and saves. The NSIC is looking balanced in attack so far, with Katarina Barthelt of Bemidji State holding the top spot. However, I'd keep an eye on veteran Allie Williams and Avery Korsching of MSU Mankato, who've has faced a brutally tough schedule and has a lot of easier wins in front of her. Anna Tobias (5 goals) of UMD has already passed her totals from the last two years (4 each) after a hat trick vs Crookston, and has a few other teammates regularly contributing goals. 

Pictured: NSIC Points Leader Katarina Barthelt

The 2022 NCIS Keeper of the Year award appears to be awarded correctly, as Mackenzie Rath is at it again. Through a brutal stretch of games where her squad had to fight for every goal, her saves at the back and the work of her defenders in front of her have to be applauded. She boasts a .949 save percentage with 37 saves in games we know were at a high level. Edie Frantzen of Bemidji State has been rock solid as well, giving up only 2 goals in 7 games, so if anybody could knock Rath off of the pedestal, you'd bet on Frantzen as of now. Credit as well to Abby Olson of UM Crookston, who made 18 saves in a loss to UMD. The Golden Eagles lost 5-0 but clearly fought off plenty more in a stamina challenging performance from Abby Olson and the Crookston defense. 

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Games to Watch

Your home for NSIC soccer is the NSIC Network or the NSIC Network App! The Northern Sun is the easiest college soccer to watch, as all the games are free and fully produced for web streaming or app connections. Over the next two weeks we will see if St Cloud State can stay winning against tough opponents, UMD will look to climb into playoff contention, and we will see the Hwy 75 Rivalry Rock game between MSU Moorhead and UM Crookston!

Friday, September 29
Concordia St Paul vs MN Duluth
Kickoff: 6pm

MN State Mankato vs St Cloud State
Kickoff: 3pm

Sunday, October 1
Concordia St Paul vs St Cloud State
Kickoff: 1pm

Friday, October 6
MN Duluth vs U Mary
Kickoff: 6pm

Sunday, October 8
MN Crookston vs MSU Moorhead
(Hwy 75 Rivalry Rock Game!)
Kickoff: 1pm

Winona State vs MN State Mankato
Kickoff: 1pm

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Previous Game Results 

Friday, September 15
Northern State 1-0 MSU Moorhead
Bemidji State 7-1 MN Crookston
Minnesota State Mankato 1-0 Augustana
MN Duluth 1-2 St Cloud State
Winona State 1-1 Concordia St Paul

Sunday, September 17
Southwest MN State 0-1 Wayne State
Minnesota State Mankato 1-0 Concordia St Paul
MSU Moorhead 0-0 U Mary
Winona State 1-2 Augustana
St Cloud State 0-2 Bemidji State
MN Crookston 0-5 MN Duluth

Thursday, September 21
Sioux Falls 0-2 Bemidji State

Friday, September 22
Minnesota State Mankato 1-0 U Mary
Concordia St Paul 2-0 MSU Moorhead
Augustana 0-0 MN Duluth
Wayne State 0-2 St Cloud State
Winona State 1-2 Northern State
Southwest MN State 2-0 Minot State

Sunday, September 24
Sioux Falls 3-0 MN Crookston
Wayne State 0-0 MN Duluth
Winona State 2-2 MSU Moorhead
Minnesota State Mankato 1-1 Minot State
Concordia St Paul 0-0 Northern State
Augustana 1-2 St Cloud State
Southwest MN State 0-1 U Mary