The Winona State women's soccer team looks to tally its first NSIC victory this weekend when the Warriors travel to University of Minnesota Crookston (0-3-0, 0-2 NSIC) for a 3 p.m. match on Friday and finish the trip on Sunday with an early afternoon tilt at 1 p.m. vs. Bemidji State (2-2-1, 1-0-1 NSIC).
This past weekend the Warriors (1-4-0, 0-2 NSIC) fell to two very good conference teams in Minnesota State-Mankato (5-0-0, 2-0 NSIC) and Concordia-St. Paul (4-0-1, 1-0-1 NSIC). The Warriors kept it close against Minnesota State, thanks to a record-setting 16-save performance from Yanel Ortiz, but ultimately fell to the No. 3-ranked team in the nation by a final score of 3-0.
Senior Courtney Wiencek got on the board early for the Warriors against Concordia-St. Paul, but it wasn't enough as the Golden Bears answered with four second half goals in a 4-2 win.
Wiencek currently leads the Warriors in both total shots (11) and shots on goal (6) with freshman Jaida Wiege close behind in both categories (9 & 3). Junior Georgette Topalis leads the way in goals on the season (3) while Wiencek has two of her own. Freshman Ellie Wardell and junior Camryn Cadiz have each tallied one goal on the season so far. Wiege has the lone assist for the Warriors on the year.
Ortiz, the Warriors' sophomore keeper, has been under heavy fire in net but has been up for the challenge. Ortiz currently ranks second in the conference in both total saves (38) and saves per game (7.6).
Scouting Minnesota Crookston
The Golden Eagles are attempting to jumpstart their offense as they have been shutout in all three games to date this season, most recently a 2-0 loss to conference foe St. Cloud State.
Junior Jessica Withrow leads the way in shots (2) while Senior Paige Pettit, junior Vanessa Shelton and sophomore Mataya Mierzejewski all share the lead in shots on goal (1).
Junior goalkeeper Athena DiMarioDone has allowed eight goals on the young season and is currently third in the NSIC in both saves (29) and saves per game (7.25).
Scouting Bemidji State
The reigning regular season NSIC champions host Upper Iowa on Friday before welcoming the Warriors back to town. Winona State opened its season with a non-conference tilt at Bemidji State where the Beavers prevailed in a close match, 2-1.
Both BSU losses to date have come against Top 10 teams – No. 4 Grand Valley State and No. 8 Central Missouri. The Beavers used a late second-half goal in their last contest against Minnesota Duluth to pull out a 2-1 victory.
Sophomore Sara Wendt and senior Melanie Peltier currently lead the Beavers in shots (8) while Wendt also leads in shots on goal (5).
The time in goal has been split between junior Emma Riedi and freshman Alyssa Stumbaugh. Riedi has 11 saves on the year with one goal allowed and Stumbaugh has allowed four goals with 11 saves on the season.
