GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Riding a two-match winning streak, the University of North Dakota (2-2 Summit) will open its home season this weekend when it hosts rival North Dakota State (5-3 Summit) Friday, March 12, and Sunday, March 14. Both matches will kick off at 2 p.m. Central.
Fans are welcome to watch the matches at Bronson Field. Masks are required for all fans. Social distancing practices are also encouraged. Fans unable to attend can watch both matches live on UND Insider with play-by-play announcer
Paul Ralston on the call.
The Fighting Hawks won both matches at Western Illinois last weekend, outscoring the Leathernecks, 4-1, with a clean sheet on Friday.
Olivia Valdivia scored the series' opening goal and the game-winner in the 21st minute on Friday before WIU scored an own goal to open the second half to make it a 2-0 game in the 48th minute.
First half goals by
Hannah Olson and
Mara Yapello in the eighth and 23rd minutes put North Dakota in the driver's seat as the Hawks carried a 2-0 lead into halftime. Western Illinois cut that deficit in half in the 53rd, but the UND defense withstood the threat to sweep the series. Goalkeeper
Madi Livingston, who made five saves in the finale, stopped five shots in the opener en route to her first career shutout.
The Bison snapped a five-match unbeaten streak at Denver last weekend, dropping both matches to the Pioneers by an aggregate score of 4-0. NDSU fell 1-0 in the opener and 3-0 in the finale. North Dakota State salvaged a split in the opening series versus Kansas City and swept the series against WIU and Omaha in Fargo.
NDSU owns a +3 goal differential scoring 12 goals while allowing nine. Olivia Lovick is the Bison's leading scorer with four goals; however, Jess Hanley, Kelsey Kallio, and Ellie Schneider have each registered three assists. Schneider has also scored twice for North Dakota State. Goalkeeping duties have been split between Aly Cole and Abby Wilkinson, with Cole only allowing one goal in net for three shutouts. Wilkinson has one clean sheet to her credit but leads the team with 16 saves.
UND will return to action on March 19 and 21 when it hosts Denver at Bronson Field.
