Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University women's soccer program will open the 2021 regular season with a home match Thursday night against Montana State University Billings. The start time for the Wolves and Yellowjackets is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Athletic & Recreation Fields.
 
GAME & FAN INFORMATION

• The Northern State and MSU Billings match-up will follow Thursday's first game between Nebraska Kearney and MSU Moorhead
• Live stats, live video, and online ticket sales are available at the links above

 
NORTHERN STATE STORYLINES

• NSU was tabbed 13^th in the 2021 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, following a 5-12-1 (3-11-1 NSIC) 2019 season
• In June, Bob Casper was named the third head coach in Northern State women's soccer history, following his 8-year stint as an assistant and associate head coach at the University of Wyoming
• The Wolves went 1-1-1 in exhibition games this preseason, picking up a win over Morningside (2-1), loosing at South Dakota (0-1), and ending with a draw against Jamestown (0-0)
• Avery Blasdel and Lonneke van Eijk each scored one goal for Northern in their exhibition match-up with Morningside
• Elinor Sayers, Alexus Townsend, and Mackenna Heiden have all spent time in goal for the Wolves in the exhibition contests
• Townsend leads the team in saves with seven
• NSU looks to push their streak of season opening wins to six, with their last loss in a season opener coming in 2014 against Northwest Missouri State

 
MSU BILLINGS STORYLINES

• MSUB was tied for sixth in the 2021 GNAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, following a 4-5 record in the 2021 spring season
• Steven Cavallo enters his fifth season as the head coach at MSU Billings, he has a career record of 17-38-5 (8-26-2 GNAC) during his time in Billings
• The Yellowjackets went 2-1 in exhibition games to start the season, with wins over Rocky Mountain College (1-0) and the University of Providence (1-0); their lone loss was at the University of Montana (0-4)
• In the three exhibition contests, the two MSUB goals came off the feet of freshmen Jillian Hust and Liberty Palmer
• Truva Sallvin and Clare Keenan split time in the net to open the year, with Sallvin notching a team high six saves

 
LOOKING BACK TO 2012

• The last meeting between Northern State and MSU Billings was September 1, 2012, where the Yellowjackets won 3-0 in Billings, Montana
• MSUB leads the overall series 3-0, and is 1-0 when playing in Aberdeen