GAMES: The University of North Dakota soccer squad will meet at Bronson Field at 4 p.m. on Friday with Great West Conference rival South Dakota for the first game of a home-and-home series. They will then travel to Vermillion, S.D., to take on the Coyotes on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Dakota Dome.
SOUTH DAKOTA: UND holds a 7-6-2 all-time record versus South Dakota with the two teams splitting its two games last season. Both the Sioux and the Coyotes were able to win on the other teams home field, USD taking the first game 4-2 before the Sioiux rebounded with a 2-0 win to close out last season's action.
The Coyotes will be looking to find some offense as they are currently 0-2 on the year getting blanked 3-0 at home by Northern Iowa and 8-0 at Creighton. South Dakota is returning seven starters this year with only one senior on the roster.
LAST ACTION: The Sioux opened their regular-season action with a 3-1 win over Missouri Valley Conference's Norther Iowa on Friday at Bronson Field. UND fell behind 1-0 early but scored three unanswered goals by sophomore Rachael Loomis (Rogers, Minn.), senior Kirsten Zachman (Mahtomedi, Minn.) and senior Sarah Penner (Winnipeg, Manitoba). Junior Monica Stierman (Mahtomedi, Minn.) got her first career start and win in net for the Sioux making five saves, allowing one goal.
On Saturday it was a meeting for the decade, as the current Fighting Sioux team took on 25 UND alumni players who returned to Grand Forks to celebrate 10 years of Sioux soccer. The present topped the past 3-0 with goals from Penner and freshmen Rhaya Ballon (Rogers, Minn.) and Caitlyn Haring (Fargo, N.D.). Making a return to Bronson Field was Lacey Woolridge, Stephanie Pfeiffer, Tina Morse, Meghan Mutrie, Lisa Glasoe, Chrissy Lapp, Stephanie Rodman, Jen 'Cilz' Hodny, Erin Pederson, Gale Dockstader, Johanna Mularoni, Laura Lentz, Maren 'Wolsky Wright, Lara Traczyk, Ashley Rohwer, Gina 'Hendrickson' Kirby, Eve Compton, Marie 'Colago' Martineau, April Bielejeski, Stacy Pappas, Lindsey Kirchoffner, Andrea Sinness, Megan Tracy and Beth Gilyard.
PENNER NAMED GWC POW: Penner tallied three points in the contest on one goal and one assist. The assist came on a header for the eventual game-winning goal scored by Kirsten Zachman at 59:20. Penner scored the Fighting Sioux's third goal at 88:29 after taking the ball from a UNI defender.
Sarah Penner, a senior forward from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was named Great West Conference Player of the Week on Monday after leading the North Dakota to a 3-1 victory over Missouri Valley Conference member Northern Iowa, Sunday.
STARTING STRONG: The Sioux are 8-3 overall in season openers in its 11 attempts including its win this season over UNI.
HOME SWEET HOME: UND has amassed a record of 51-26-3 when facing opponents in Grand Forks.
A MILESTONE TO REMEMBER (OR 10): The 2008 season was the conclusion of 10 years of Sioux soccer. From its early days on the artificial turf at Memorial Stadium to its present home at Bronson Field, the UND soccer program has made tremendous strides during its first decade of existence.
Prior to the 2008 season, UND's first as a Division I program, the Sioux unveiled a brand-new, state-of-the-art scoreboard at Bronson Field. In 2007, the Sioux set a single-season attendance record, with nearly 1,900 fans attending UND's home games over the course of the season.
Over the years, UND has produced tremendous excitement on the field while maintaining a high standar of academic excellence in the classroom. The Sioux soccer honor roll lists a pair of NSCAA All-Americans, 22 all-conference performers, 25 academic all-conference selections and a pair of conference coaches of the year.
With an impressive foundation on which to build, the Sioux will look at the 2009 campaign as another exciting building block as they joined the burgeoning Great West Conference prior to the season and will now set its sights on its first Division I conference championship and a new chapter in the programs history.
LOOK WHO'S BACK: The Sioux return 16 players this year with nine of them being seniors including co-captains Mandi Boehmer (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Kirsten Zachman (Mahtomedi, Minn.).
-GO SIOUX-
