The University of Minnesota Duluth soccer team returns to James S. Malosky Stadium on Friday for its first home game of the 2025 season to host Bemidji State University in a nonconference showdown. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m.
KICKS FOR CAUSES RETURNS: For an 11th year, the Bulldogs will continue their Kicks for Causes social awareness campaign. Since the 2014 season, UMD has proudly had student athletes call attention to over 35 different organizations at their home games. This Friday, the 2025 campaign kicks off with senior forward Maria Zanotti, who has chosen the Alzheimer's Association as her organization. The entire Kicks for Causes schedule is listed below:
2025 Kicks for Causes Schedule
Maria Zanotti - September 12 - Alzheimer's Association
Morgan Eckerle - September 19 - Northwoods Children's Services
Miriam Marsan - September 21 - LifeHouse
Malory Russ- October 3 - Arc Northland
Sarah Osborne - October 5 - Northern lights foundation
Elaina Shromoff - October 17 - Animal Allies
Kaycee Chavez - October 24 - Hartley Nature Center
Cambelle Christensen - October 26 - Angel Fund
GAME PREVIEW: The Bulldogs will wrap up the nonconference part of the season against a familiar Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opponent in the Beavers. The two sides will meet twice this season – the latter date to wrap up the regular season in Bemidji, Minn. on Nov. 6. It marks the first time UMD will face BSU twice since the 2013 season when the Bulldogs ousted the Beavers with a 2-0 postseason win in Bemidji in the first round NSIC playoffs that season. (UMD would later make its longest postseason run in program history, finishing the season hosting an NCAA Elite Eight game.)
All-time, UMD is 16-11-4 against BSU, but over the past decade, just 1-7-2. In fact, the Bulldogs are seeking their first win against the Beavers since the 2014 season, and have lost six-straight games against BSU dating back to 2018. Over the past 10 seasons, the Bulldogs are 2-3-1, and are averaging less than a goal a game – 0.92 goals a game.
Last season, BSU defeated UMD 3-0 on Griggs Field on Nov. 7. While UMD outshot the Beavers 12-11 overall (5-to-4 on goal), BSU goaltender Sonia Alfieri made five saves to keep the Bulldogs at bay.
CANE NEARS 300 CAREER WINS: UMD head coach Greg Cane, currently in his 31st season at the helm of the Bulldogs has inched within a single game of the 300 career win club after pocketing a win last weekend against Michigan Tech University. Cane has 299 wins over his 35 overall seasons in college soccer ranks him 15th among all Division II active head coaches. All-time at UMD, Cane has a record of 284-208-64, while his overall coaching record, which includes four seasons at the NCAA Division III College of St. Scholastica is 298-243-55.
LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs went 1-0-1 last weekend in Michigan, picking up a 1-0 win over Michigan Tech University in Houghton Friday night behind a goal from sophomore center back Gwendolyn Lilly. Lilly was assisted by rookie Kennedy Christensen – the first point of her career – and Miriam Marsan who had the initial corner kick.
On Sunday in Marquette, UMD and Northern Michigan University battled to a 0-0 tie. The Wildcats outshot the Bulldogs 6-5 (4-3 on goal), but UMD had a 4-2 corner kick advantage and committed 11 fouls to NMU's four.
Senior Goaltender Kaycee Chavez had four saves in each game for four on the weekend, and her 180 zero goals allowed streak is the longest shutout streak of her UMD career. For her eight save weekend, she was named the NSIC's Goaltender of the Week.
BULLDOG NOTES: The Bulldogs current shutout streak is its longest since it rolled three-straight shutouts over the 2023 season from Sept. 17 through Sept. 24 ... UMD is now 3-6-1 all-time against the Huskies, and 2-2-1 in Houghton, Mich. against the home side … Against Northern Michigan, the Bulldogs are now 17-8-4 since the two sides started facing off in 2006.
