The University of Minnesota Duluth soccer team continues its season-longest road stand this weekend when it opens up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play in Marshall, Minn. against Southwest Minnesota State University Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, the Bulldogs will face the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, S.D.. Kickoff for that game is set for 1:00 p.m.

WEEKEND PREVIEW:

VS. SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: All-time, the Bulldogs lead the Mustangs 26-7-1, but over the past 10 outings, UMD is just under .500 at 4-5-1. Last season the Bulldogs extended their current unbeaten streak against SMSU to three games with a 2-0 win on Sept. 21 inside Malosky Stadium. The Bulldogs had a goal from Nora Helvig in the 25th minutes and then again in the 74th minute from Jessica Eischens. UMD outshot the Mustangs 8-3 on goal and 15-3 overall.

In the Bulldogs five wins since the 2013 NCAA Tournament run season, the Bulldogs have never won by fewer than a two-goal difference.

This season, the Mustangs are still searching for their first win after going 0-2-1 in their first three games – all nonconference stints. In those three outings, SMSU has been outscored 1-10.

VS. SIOUX FALLS: The Bulldogs are unbeaten against USF since 2013 – the first season USF was cleared for Division II play. Since then, UMD has gone 8-0-4 and a perfect 4-0-2 on both the road and at home on Griggs Field. In those 12 games, the Bulldogs have averaged 1.75 goals a game. Last season, UMD bounced the Cougars by a program-best score of 5-1, the most goals UMD had ever scored on USF. That win came on Sept. 19 at home, and the Bulldogs were led by a hat trick from Eliana Shromoff. Then sophomore Kati Beavers also added two goals in the game.

USF is currently 2-1 in nonconference play and will open up its NSIC schedule Friday night in Sioux Falls with a game against Bemidji State University. The Cougars are led by junior Addison Van Zee, who has two goals for four points through those first three games. Andy Janssen enters his first season as the head coach in 2026. Janssen arrived at USF following nine highly successful seasons as the associate head coach at NCAA Division I South Dakota State University.

LAST TIME OUT: Last Saturday in St. Cloud, Minn., UMD and St. Cloud State University settled for a scoreless 0-0 tie in their lone nonconference showdown and the Bulldogs final game out of conference.

UMD had a 11-10 total shots advantage and a 6-3 shots on goal edge, but the Huskies goaltender Jaylee Strickland made all six saves on the six shots she faced. The Bulldogs Edy Halverson had three stops for UMD. Both teams had four corner kicks apiece while UMD had 15 fouls to SCSU's 11. Midfielder Nora Helvig had a team-high three shots.

BULLDOG NOTES: UMD is 1-1-1 to start the season, .500 in nonconference games … UMD has had 14 corner kicks over three games, and has scored twice off the advantage … on the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs have yet to allow a goal off of 14 opponent corner kicks … UMD is averaging 12 fouls a game … and 17.0 shots a game with an average of 8.6 on goal while holding foes to just 11 total over three matches … four players have yet to come out of game so far this season … defenders Kailey Tomzak, Gwendolyn Lilly and and goaltender Edy Halverson have all played 270 minutes … junior Lauren McGough leads all UMD scorers with four points on two goals … both came off corner kicks … she also leads the Bulldogs with 12 shots.