NSIC in MN: Non Conference Northern Matchups, Bemidji State makes HIGHLIGHTS, Crookston "keeper" scores a goal, the Mavericks are tested for a tough opening weekend, and more!

Mark Privratsky

Brooklyn Fischbach goal reaction after playing keeper last year for UM Crookston

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. 

Concordia St Paul starts NSIC with prime home games for Twin Cities soccer fans as Winona and Mankato come to town

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 beats UMD and Moorhead in non conference games, back at home vs Duluth this weekend to kick off NSIC play

​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 unbeaten after two road draws and a good non conference win over Minot State (plus they made HIGHLIGHTS)

​​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. 

​Minnesota State Mankato beats Central Missouri, suffers revenge from Grand Valley State, starts gauntlet NSIC schedule

​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!

Former keeper scores for Crookston in close game with Minot State

(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. 

Games to Watch (NSIC Network App or NSICNetwork.com)

Friday, Sept 15
Northern State at MSU Moorhead (3pm)
Bemidji State at UM Crookston (3pm)
MSU Mankato at Augustana (4pm)
MN Duluth at St Cloud State (5pm)
Winona State at Concordia St Paul (7pm)

Sunday, Sept 17
Southwest MN State at Wayne State (1pm)
MSU Mankato at Concordia St Paul (1pm)
MSU Moorhead at U Mary (1PM)
Winona vs Augustana (1pm)
St Cloud State at Bemijdi State (1pm)
UM Crookston at UM Duluth (1pm)

Thursday, Sept 21
Sioux Falls at Bemidji State (6pm)

Friday, Sept 22
MSU Mankato at U Mary (3pm)
Concordia St Paul at MSU Moorhead (3pm)
Augustana at MN Duluth (6pm)
Wayne State at St Cloud State (6pm)
Winona State at Northern State (6pm)
Southwest MN State at Minot State (6pm)

Sunday, Sept 24
MSU Mankato at Minot State (Noon)
Winona State at MSU Moorhead (Noon)
Wayne State at UM Duluth (Noon)
Sioux Falls at UM Crookston (1pm)
Southwest MN State at U Mary (1pm)
Concordia St Paul at Northern State (1pm)
Augustana at St Cloud State (1pm)

​Previous Game Results

Thursday, Aug 31
MN Crookston 0-6 Wayne State
MN Duluth 3-4 Northern Michigan
Oklahoma Baptist 0-7 Minnesota State Mankato
St Cloud State 1-0 Michigan Tech

Friday, Sept 1
Concordia St Paul 2-0 Upper Iowa
Morningside (Iowa) 2-1 Southwest MN State
Winona State 1-2 McKendree University
Bemidji State 1-1 Missouri Western State

Saturday, Sept 2
St Cloud State 0-3 Northern Michigan
Western Colorado 0-2 MSU Moorhead
MN Duluth 1-1 Michigan Tech

Sunday, Sept 3
Concordia St Paul 0-3 McKendree University
Central Missouri 3-0 Southwest MN State
Winona State 2-0 Upper Iowa 
Minot State 2-1 MN Crookston
Rockhurst 0-0 Bemidji State
Minnesota State Mankato 0-0 Emporia State

Monday, Sept 4
MSU Moorhead 0-1 U Mary

Friday, Sept 8
UW Parkside 1-0 MSU Moorhead
Central Missouri 0-1 Minnesota State Mankato
St Cloud State 2-0 MN Duluth
Southwest MN State 0-4 Washburn (Kan)
Upper Iowa 0-3 Bemidji State
MN Crookston 0-6 Concordia St Paul

Sunday, Sept 10
MN Crookston 0-3 Upper Iowa
Winona State 0-0 Truman State
Northern State 1-3 MN Duluth
UW Parkside 2-0 Concordia St Paul
MSU Moorhead 1-2 St Cloud State
Grand Valley State 1-0 Minnesota State Mankato

Tuesday, Sept 12
Minot State 0-1 Bemidji State