ABERDEEN, S.D. -- Junior forward Katie Meinhardt (Maple Grove, Minn.) had a huge impact in her first game back after sitting out the first eight games of the season with an injury. Meinhardt found the back of the net twice in what was a three-goal second half for Bemidji State to give them a 3-0 victory over host Northern State.

The 3-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory for the Beavers was hardly indicative of the entire game. The first half saw each team’s defense play strong only allowing nine combined shots on goal.

But, Bemidji State’s Katie Meinhardt proved to be the story in the second half. In her first action of the season, Meinhardt laced ball to the back of the net just four minutes into the second half to put the Beavers up 1-0. The goal was assisted by defender Tegan Moehn (Jr.; Ramsey, Minn.), which was her first of the season to give her five points (2g, 1a).

The NSU defense again stayed strong until a hand ball was called on the Wolves in the 80th minute. Bemidji State’s senior forward Lindsey Natwick (Bismarck, N.D.) took advantage of the call and put the free kick past Northern State goalie Theresa Alexander to pick up her second goal of the season and see her point total climb to six (2g, 2a) on the season.

Shortly after, Meinhardt came calling again, picking up her second goal of the game as she raced past the defense on a breakaway and beat Alexander to put the Beavers in a commanding 3-0 lead.

Bemidji State goalkeeper Kari Torgerson (Jr.; New Hope, Minn.) was again perfect in net as she was bombarded with 17 Northern State shots to pick up the win for the Beavers.

Notes: Bemidji State has shutout two straight opponents and four of the last six... BSU has won four of the last five games... The BSU victory was the first for the Beavers over Northern State since a 1-0 overtime victory on October 4, 2003... The Northern State loss was their first conference loss of the season... Torgerson stopped a season high 17 shots... Natwick and Moehn each scored a point for the second straight game... The Beavers ended six straight games away from Bemidji with a 4-1-1 record.

BSU returns home for three straight games in the frienldy confines of the the BSU soccer complex. This weekend the Beavers play host to NSIC foes Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Wayne State (Neb.) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

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