Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State women's soccer team is set to face off against Bemidji State in the First Round of the NSIC Tournament at 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. The match-up will feature a pair of the conference's top defenses, with both teams allowing less than one goal per game.
 
GAME & FAN INFORMATION

• Live stats, live video, and game notes are all available at the links above

NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES

• Northern State enters the NSIC Tournament with a record of 7-5-5 (6-4-5 NSIC)
• The Wolves finished eighth place in the NSIC, and reached the conference tournament for the first time since 2016
• Northern is seeking their first NSIC Tournament win since a 2-0 first round victory at Augustana in 2008
• Northern State tied with MSU Moorhead in the regular season finale on Friday afternoon 0-0
• Megan Fastenau ranks top 10 in the league for conference matches only in five different categories which includes being tied for tenth in shots (40), ninth in shots on goal (23), sixth in goals (6), fourth in game-winning goals (4), and tied for seventh in points (15)
• Also in conference matches only, Alexus Townsend ranks in the top 6 for four categories including sixth in goals against average (0.828), fifth in saves (77), tied for fourth in shutouts (6), and sixth in saves per game (5.13)
• Northern State statistical leaders
  • Goals: Megan Fastenau (8)
  • Assists: Kelsey Selden / Chloe Strom / Teya Trujillo / Mia Zagorski (2)
  • Points: Megan Fastenau (17)
  • Saves: Alexus Townsend (92)

#6 BEMIDJI STATE STORYLINES

• Bemidji State enters the NSIC Tournament with a record of 16-0-2 (13-0-2 NSIC)
• The Beavers won the NSIC regular season title outright, winning the second conference title in program history
• Bemidji State defeated Minnesota Crookston in the regular season finale on Friday afternoon 5-0, the Beavers saw five different players score in the match
• The Beavers currently sit at No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll; BSU is also ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Central Region, with a new poll set to be released on Wednesday afternoon
• Bemidji State currently holds a streak of five consecutive shutouts, and have not allowed a goal since October 17^th at Upper Iowa
• BSU is currently on a program record 21 match unbeaten streak, having not lost since November 13^th of 2019 to St. Cloud State in the First Round of the NSIC Tournament
• The Beavers have seen five different players named NSIC Player of the Week this season
  • Sara Wendt has been named Offensive Player of the Week twice, along with Allyson Smith winning the award once
  • Megan Dahl won Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, and joined Halle Peterson who won the award on October 25^th
  • Alyssa Stumbaugh was named the Goalkeeper of the Week on November 1^st
• In conference matches, Sara Went is second in the league in goals (13), tied for second in game-winning goals (5), and tied for second in points (27)
• Also in conference matches only, Allyson Smith is second in the league in shots (78), second in shots-on-goal (41), and tied for sixth in assists (5)
• Jim Stone is in his 20^th season as the head coach at Bemidji State where he holds a career record of 201-118-33 (136-70-22 NSIC)
• Bemidji State statistical leaders
  • Goals: Sara Wendt (17)
  • Assists: Allyson Smith (8)
  • Points: Sara Wendt (36)
  • Saves: Alyssa Stumbaugh (46) 

LOOKING BACK TO SEPTEMBER

• Northern State and Bemidji State last played on September 17 in Aberdeen, when the Beavers snuck out of town with a 2-1 victory with a goal in the final minute of regulation
• The all-time series between the Wolves and Beavers is tied 13-13-3, and BSU has won the past five meetings