The University of Minnesota Duluth has played seven of eight matches on the road to start the season. So, the Bulldogs are more than happy to return home this week for a pair of home games and a chance to get back to the .500 mark if they can earn a couple of wins.

UMD (3-5-0, 3-2-0 NSIC) will play host to a winless University of Sioux Falls team Saturday at a special start time before hosting its playoff rival from a season ago, Southwest Minnesota State University, in a Sunday matinee.

QUICK HITS
• The Bulldogs suffered a pair of setbacks over the weekend, falling 3-0 at Upper Iowa and 1-0 at Winona State, after coming into the weekend with a three-match winning streak without allowing a goal.
• UMD goalkeepers kept the Bulldogs in the game both nights, with freshman Jordan Melby stopping nine consecutive shots on Saturday afternoon after UIU's first score. Senior Marissa Rosa made five saves on Saturday, with Winona State's lone score deflecting off the back of a defender and just out of her reach.
• Junior forward Sheridan Reiners and sophomore mid/defender Marissa Ganske led the Bulldog offense with five shots each. UMD's high-powered offense saw its average shot attempts cut nearly in half, an 11.5 per-game average compared to 22.8 on the season.

The Bulldogs scuffled for answers on offense last weekend, but Coach Cane credits the opposing teams for quieting them offensively. "We matched up against two opponents, particularly Upper Iowa. Once they had the early lead, they took care of the ball and used the field to their advantage. It's a big field down there. They played a good game with the lead and physically matched up well with us. On Sunday, Winona - once again a good physical match-up - played an unusually sound defensive game. They're much more of a quick-transition team. They were willing to pick their places and bide their time. Basically, they were very patient defensively."

"On our side of the ball, it's not being able to sort it out, not asking enough questions of the defense, not enough mobilitiy in our attack - things we are trying to address this week. The third component is the mental component: fortitude overcoming challenge. Our team just hasn't figured out yet how teams think about us. They think we're really good. So, they're coming with their 'A' game. I don't think our players see themselves in that light enough. The reality is, whether they think so or not, pressure and preparation is there from the opponent."

SCOUTING THE COUGARS (Saturday, Oct. 4, 12:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• Sioux Falls (0-7-1, 0-5-0 NSIC) was shut out for the first time in NSIC play and the third time overall this season last time out in a 4-0 defeat at Minot State University.
• Despite the winless mark, Sioux Falls is ninth in the league with 102 shots on the season, an average of 14.57 per game, and tied for sixth in the league with 12 goals on the season. Senior midfielder Ciarra Howerton leads the offense with three goals on the season. Howerton has also played in-net for the Cougars in a pinch earlier this season.
• Using a pair of goalkeepers in almost every game, USF has allowed 31 goals on the season for a 3.77 GAA on the year. The team has stopped 68.0 percent of shots on goal, compared to 84.4 percent by opponents.
• UMD is 2-0-0 all-time against Sioux Falls and defeated the Cougars 2-1 last season on Sept. 28, 2013.

Coach Cane knows the Bulldogs can't overlook Sioux Falls this weekend despite their record. "We can't afford to look past anybody right now. It doesn't matter what their record is; our record isn't great either. We have some things we need to take care of. Honestly, I don't know anymore about [Sioux Falls] than the last time we played them a year ago. We've been so concerned with making sure we're doing the things to prepare our team to do as good as we can with what we have. Of course, we're going to look at film today and tomorrow, but that's just our atttiude right now: take care of our own business, and that should provide us with plenty of tools to get the work done."

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS (Sunday, Oct. 5, 1:00 p.m.) - Live Stats | Live Video
• Southwest Minnesota State (4-4-0, 3-2-0 NSIC) will travel to St. Cloud State on Saturday before heading to Duluth. The Mustangs broke a two-match losing skid last weekend with a 2-0 shutout victory of U-Mary.
• SMSU has relied on offense this season, currently ranked third in the league in goals and points as a team. Junior forward Miranda Cadena leads the Mustangs with six goals and 12 points on the season.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Brienna Dehkes was named the NSIC's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013, and has continued that success in 2014, posting a 1.71 GAA with 33 saves in her seven matches.
• UMD is 22-1-0 all-time against Southwest Minnesota State with the lone loss coming in the regular season last season, a 3-0 defeat to a Mustangs team ranked No. 18 at the time. The Bulldogs avenged the loss in the NCAA Central Region Final with a 2-0 victory at Malosky Stadium on Nov. 22, 2013.

Southwest Minnesota State played the Bulldogs tough in two matches last season, and coach Cane expects no different in 2014. "Last year, when we played them, both teams were unbeaten in league play. They were very much a surprise team last year. That game was the first game of the season that really mirrors how teams are playing us this year. Other teams did play us similarly, but they were the first one and took us a bit by surprise, and we had to make adjustments. It will be intersting to see how it all shakes out."

BULLDOG 'BYTE
"Every Friday in September, we were in a hotel. I think that got tired for them pretty quick. So, they're anxious. They want to make it right. They want to make sure that we are a contending team. We had some great insight into that Sunday when we played Winona. We really asserted ourselves well from a mental and competitive standpoint, for sure. We played a pretty darn good match that just didn't have the frosting on it for us. I think, with that attitude, and being at home, hopefully that will bring more confidence to our game." - Coach Cane on the comfort that comes with returning home to Malosky Stadium

KICKS FOR A CAUSE
Bulldog seniors have each chosen an organization and cause to promote at home games throughout the season. This week, Courtney Driscoll has chosen the Safe Haven Shelter for Women and Children for Saturday's match, while Marissa Rosa has chosen the Animal Allies Humane Society. Adoptable dogs will be at Malosky Stadium on Sunday for Bulldog Country to meet.

"I chose Animal Allies because my family has rescued many animals and I want others to know how great the option of adoption is," said Rosa on her reason to choose Animal Allies. The company's mission statement says that it "strives to ensure a lifetime of loving care for every pet by reducing overpopulation, increasing adoption, and fostering humane values" and "is guided by a humane ethic to build communities that universally value animals, understand their needs, and take action to meet them." The Animal Allies website in Duluth is animalallies.net.

Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center has provided services to women and children whose lives have been affected by domestic violence in our community since 1978. Safe Haven provides an array of services at their two locations in Duluth, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual advocacy, legal advocacy, information and referrals, support groups and community education. In addition to Safe Haven's emergency shelter, its Resource Center is located at 414 West 1^st Street and is an "off-the-street" service that serves as the headquarters of their legal advocacy program. The website is safehavenshelter.org.

For more details on Kicks for a Cause, click here.

The Bulldogs and Cougars will take the field on Saturday with an early start time: a shootout at high Noon at Malosky Stadium.