GAMES: The University of North Dakota soccer team continues Big Sky Conference play this weekend with a lone game against conference-leading Northern Colorado. UND will travel to Greeley, Colo. for the 9 p.m. CDT start time on Friday night.
BEARS: Northern Colorado is led by head coach Tim Barrera, who is in his 14th season with the Bears. Barrera and his team enter Friday's matchup with a 4-4-2 record. Two of UNC's four wins have come against Big Sky Conference opponents, putting it at the top of the pack with an undefeated conference record of 2-0-0. The Bears have scored 10 goals on the season, with five of them coming in their last three appearances. Junior forward, Brittany Dunn, leads Northern Colorado in both points (five) and goals (two). Goalkeeper Natalie D'Adamio has played all ten games in the net, compiling a goals against average of 1.15.
THIS WEEK IN THE BSC: With the first week of conference soccer in the books, Northern Colorado tops the Big Sky standings with a 2-0 record.
In a rematch between the 2011 co-regular season champions, Northern Colorado defeated Portland State 1-0. NC's goal came in the 85th minute after Chandler Guetz took a shot that deflected off of a PSU defender and went in for the game-winning goal. PSU outshot NC 12-7. On Sunday, Northern Colorado defeated Sacramento State 2-0 for the Bears first ever victory over Sacramento State. The Bears' goals came from Mallory Van Hout in the 68th
minute and from Tara Rickenbach in the 81st minute.
In PSU's match on Sunday, the Vikings defeated North Dakota 3-1. After UND's Noel Scherer scored in the 21st minute, PSU's Kayla Henningsen tied up the match less than two minutes later. PSU then took the lead with a shot that was deflected by a UND defender and went past UND keeper Kristi Hestdalen. PSU's Amanda Howie added the final goal of the match in the 79th minute.
In Sacramento State's match on Friday, the Hornets defeated UND 1-0. The only goal of the match came in the 14th minute from SAC's Jordan Carlberg.
Montana went 1-0-1 over the weekend with a win against Weber State and a tie against Idaho State. On Friday, the Griz hosted ISU. ISU's Rachel Strawn was the first on the board with a goal in the 58th minute. ISU looked to have the game won until the 89th minute when UM's Paytyn Wheeler scored to tie the game 1-1. Despite UM putting 7 shots on goal to ISU's 1, neither team scored in the twenty minutes of extra time, resulting in the 1-1 tie. On Sunday, the Griz defeated WSU 1-0. UM's lone goal came in the 17th minute off of a
header from Lauren Costa.
In Idaho State's match on Sunday, the Bengals faced Eastern Washington. ISU's Amanda Ellsworth scored the fastest goal in Bengal soccer history with a goal just 22 seconds in. EWU's Kasey McNeill equalized the match with a goal in the 25th minute. EWU's Cassie Black scored the game winning goal in the 52nd minute, giving EWU the 2-1 win over ISU.
On Friday, Eastern Washington hosted Weber State. The Wildcats' Mackenzie Harrison scored the lone goal of the match in the 79th minute which gave WSU the 1-0 win over EWU.
Northern Arizona and Southern Utah only played one match over the weekend against each other. NAU won 1-0 with a goal in the 50t h minute from Demi Schmieder.
After one week of conference soccer, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado are the only undefeated teams in conference.
A NEW HOME: The 2012 season marks the first year in North Dakota's new home of the Big Sky Conference and its first NCAA postseason-eligible campaign.
A CHANCE AT THE BIG DANCE: Only the top four teams in the Big Sky standings advance to the conference tournament to battle for the leagues automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
A PROGRAM (AND UNIVERSITY) FIRST: Sophomore forward Megan Anderson was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 26) becoming the first player in program history and at North Dakota to win a BSC weekly award.
The Rapid City, S.D., native, scored one goal and had three assists to finish the weekend with five points helping UND to a 4-0 win over Minnesota, Crookston and a a 4-4 (2 OT) tie against South Dakota.
ALL-BIG SKY: Rhaya Ballon was named to the Madness 2012 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Second Team as selected by its staff in expectation of these players making significant contributions to their team in the upcoming season.
A Rogers, Minn., native, Ballon led UND with nine goals in 2011 and finished second in points with 19 while starting all 18 games. She scored at least one point in 10 of 18 games.
In her three seasons at North Dakota, Ballon has totaled 16 goals and six assists for 38 points.
