The University of Minnesota Duluth will look to bounce back from just its third defeat of the season as it returns to Malosky Stadium this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches.
The Bulldogs (10-3-0, 9-2-0 NSIC) saw a five-match winning streak snapped last time out, falling to No. 3 Minnesota State by a 1-0 final in a defensive battle. UMD had won five straight previously and has outscored opponents 16-4 in its last six.
UMD remains undefeated on its home turf in 2013 at 5-0. They will face Minnesota State University-Moorhead on Saturday afternoon before taking on the Wolves of Northern State on Sunday.
The Opponents
MSU-Moorhead (0-13-0, 0-11-0 NSIC) arrives in Duluth winless in its last 18 matches dating back to last season. Head coach Rollie Bulock and the Dragons have found offense at a premium this year as they have scored just nine goals on the season. Opponents have out-shot MSU 323-150, including 165-71 on net. Junior forward Erin Nyberg leads the team with four goals and one assist. Three goalkeepers have split time for the Dragons with Ashley Leintz leading the way with a 1.30 GAA and .879 save percentage. As a team, MSU has allowed 2.53 goals per game.
UMD is 14-3-1 all-time against the Dragons, defeating them last-time out on Oct. 21, 2012 by a 3-1 final.
Northern State (7-6-1, 4-6-1 NSIC) gave No. 25 Southwest Minnesota State a run for its money last time out, falling 2-1 in Aberdeen, S.D. last weekend. Coach Steve Kehm's Wolves are 1-5-1 in their past seven. NSU has been out-scored on the season 17-16, but sophomore Allie Macdonald leads the way with four goals on the season. One of seven freshmen on the Wolves, midfielder Anna Bondy has taken 20 of the Wolves' 119 shots and scored a pair of goals in her first year. Goalkeeper Brittany Tietz has served as the team's primary goalkeeper, posting a 1.15 GAA with 41 saves and an .820 save percentage. She has five shutouts on the year.
The Bulldogs are 11-1-1 all-time against Northern State, including a 4-2 victory against the Wolves on Oct. 20 last season.
The Bulldogs
Sophomore goalkeeper
Marissa Rosa had her strongest game of the season last time out, making eight saves on nine shots against the No. 3 team in the nation one night after going nearly 106 minutes in an overtime showdown with Concordia-St. Paul. Rosa has had two ofher three shutouts in 2013 at Malosky Stadium, one each during the past two homestands for UMD.
Scoring a goal and an assist last weekend,
Maureen Stormont moved into fifth place in career scoring at UMD with 78 points for her career. Her 33 goals also give her the fourth-most in a Bulldog career in just her third season. Junior midfielder
Jennifer Smith netted her second goal of the year to lift the Bulldogs in overtime. She has nine points in her last six games for UMD. Her 17 career assists now puts her in the top 10 career ranks at UMD for that category.
Both matches this weekend at Malosky Stadium are set to kick-off at 1:00 p.m.
